


Ptichye Moloko

by lilithduvare, Melody_thysoulandthylove



Series: Sweetness and Icing [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Actor!Victor, Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Angst, Blow Jobs, Communication, Confessions, Cuddling, Depression, Desserts, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Meet-Cute, Recipes, Romance, Sappy Men In Love, Self-Doubt, Sexual Content, Shyness, Snuggling, Sweet, Valentine's Day, Victuuri Week, Victuuri Week 2017, Yuuri taking control, cakes, first crushes, pastry chef!Yuuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-22 18:11:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9619166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilithduvare/pseuds/lilithduvare, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melody_thysoulandthylove/pseuds/Melody_thysoulandthylove
Summary: Viktor is a two time Academy Award winner actor who, while shooting a movie in Japan accidentally found a small cake shopAgape & Erosand instantly fell in love with the stunning desserts on display. He, however, did not expect to fall in love with the gorgeous but shy man who ran the shop.Now in Russian! (https://ficbook.net/readfic/5501328 )





	1. Agape & Eros

**Author's Note:**

> Victuuri Week Day 1  
> Prompts:  
> Victor: Surprises  
> Yuuri: Confessions  
> AU: Other sports/careers
> 
> I want to thank my lovely and amazingly talented co-author for collaborating with me on this week. I enjoyed writing the first part and look forward to what we come up with for the other chapters.

In the end, Viktor had Makkachin to thank for finding the love of his life.

 

 

Being neck deep in shooting his newest movie, another Hollywood tearjerker drama about a legendary figure skater and how he tried to get his life back together after an injury ended his career early, Viktor felt like he was drowning and burning out the same way his character had. He was a cliche, two time Academy Award winner at twenty-seven, an ex-child actor prodigy turned into international sensation… he was simply tired both as a person and as a performer.

His only solace in the whole charade of keeping on a happy face was Makkachin, his oldest friend. The poodle faithfully followed him from shooting to shooting, staying by his side and always finding a way to put a real smile onto Viktor’s face even when he was in his deepest slum. This time, they were filming in a small Japanese town, an almost welcome change from the absolute over-crowdedness of Tokyo where they had shot the fateful World Championship scenes.

Hasetsu was nice and mostly quiet, people not as pushy despite the obvious interest, and Viktor’s accommodation at the last hot spring inn still operating in town was great, especially because the owners did not blink twice when they had seen all the furniture Viktor arrived with. They even welcomed Makkachin warmly, telling Viktor about how their son had a similar dog he loved dearly. It made warming up to the couple much easier.

By the time they had been in Hasetsu for a week, Viktor felt like he didn’t want to leave ever again. And it was only partly because of Hiroko’s wonderful pork cutlet bowls she so lovingly plied him with. Another reason he didn’t want to go back to Hollywood was the lack of endless schmoozing and drama in Hasetsu. No one really cared who he was, and even the fans and gawkers gathered to catch him and his co-actors seemed to be more respectful in their approach.

Viktor liked to take Makkachin on long walks around town when he had some time off filming, stopping to talk to some of the people even and listening to their mundane stories. It made him wonder what he would have done if his mother hadn’t taken him to his first casting when he was seven and had grown up to be another regular person without anyone knowing his name. It was an interesting thought, going to school and maybe even to college, staying in Russia or maybe still moving to the States. Maybe his parents wouldn’t have gotten a divorce if he had been just another regular child. Maybe he would be working in an office… or maybe he would be a figure skater, aiming to become a champion. He would never know, but sometimes it was nice if somewhat depressing to think about what ifs.

On his tenth day in Hasetsu, he expected nothing spectacular to happen. He finished filming relatively early considering he had been at the ice rink since four that morning, and decided to go out for dinner for a change while he took Makkachin out for his daily walk. People greeted him warmly, the people at the market offering him fruits and goods and kind words like always. Makkachin was basking in the affection he was getting, butting his head against the hands petting his fur. It made Viktor smile wider and somehow by the time they left the market he was laden with bags of goods he would probably hand off to Hiroko once they got back to Yu-Topia.

He wasn’t really looking where they were going, the town was small and getting lost was literally impossible, content to allow Makkachin to lead him wherever he wanted to go. He enjoyed the cool early spring air and the salty aftertaste it left on his tongue despite not being down at the beach, admiring the quiet of the early evening and loving how different it was from the constant noise and rush of Hollywood. He was so deep in his thought that he didn’t even notice that Makkachin had stopped walking at first. Only when he was almost yanked back by the resistance of the leash as he walked by did he look up to see his friend practically plastered to the window display of a small store Viktor hadn’t seen before, his pink tongue lolling out at whatever he was seeing inside.

Going closer, Viktor was surprised at the gorgeous, colorful display of cakes Makkachin was staring at, the sight mouthwatering and inviting. It wasn’t even a question if they would go in, a decision that only got cemented in his mind when he saw the pet friendly sticker on the door. Smiling down at Makkachin, Viktor opened the door and stepped inside, instantly charmed by the warm, heavenly smell of sugar, spices and baked goods.

“Come, Makkachin, let’s see what is on offer,” he said, chuckling when Makkachin all but rushed inside, his claws clinking excitedly against the polished tiles.

 

 

Viktor expected to see a typical cafe like you would find in the many films he starred in. He was expecting to find a cosy corner, where he could sit and indulge his sweet tooth, preferably with multiple items. What he did not expect was for Makkachin to leap up and tackle somebody onto the ground.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” Viktor hastily helped the young man up after pulling Makkachin off him. Another surprise; the young man had the most gorgeous eyes he had ever seen. They were a rich brown, almost burgundy under the light. Viktor caught himself, giving a slight shake of his head to clear the thought before apologising. “I am so sorry! Makka is normally much better behaved than this. He must really like you.”

The young man laughed. The sound he emitted was like tinkling bells to Viktor’s ears. He could spend his life listening to it.

“Don’t worry about it.” The smile the man flashed at Viktor was enough to make his heart skip a beat. “I’m kinda used to it, as my dog does the same to me as well. First time I fell though,” he said and the blush that painted his cheeks only enhanced his looks in Viktor’s mind.

The man must have gotten self-conscious, as he hastily straightened out his uniform and coughed slightly, before shifting into a professional tone. “Welcome to _Agape & Eros _. My name is Yuuri. How may I serve you today?”

Viktor blinked, finally remembering where he was and the purpose of entering the store.

“Ah, well, what are the names of the cakes on display?” Viktor asked.

Yuuri craned his neck, eyebrows furrowing as he peered at the displays, before smoothing out as he recalled them.

“Well, the three on the top are the generic flavors: tiramisu, red velvet and black forest. The ones below them are our popular cakes: Hakuto Jelly cake, Buccellato and Cassata. Of course, we do have other varieties and desserts as well, so feel free to peruse the menu!” Yuuri chirped out.

Viktor smiled widely, charmed by Yuuri’s knowledge and eagerness. He picked one of the tables closest to the counter, hoping to see as much of Yuuri as possible even as he picked up the intricate black and silver lace decorated menu. The lettering were done in white cursive and he couldn’t help but brush his finger over the slightly raised words, feeling the texture glide under his skin.

 

                                                                                                                                           

 

The offered drinks were numerous, and thankfully also listed in roman letters under the kanji, making it easier for him to understand what he was reading. Some of the coffees had interesting fantastical names, such as Phichit’s Dream and J.J. Style, but no description, both intriguing and making him wary of what they could possibly taste like. Viktor would claim to be an adventurous man, but past experiences had made him cautious of the unknown, especially when it concerned food.

However, it was the perfect opportunity to call Yuuri back and ask him more questions.

Viktor started to look for Yuuri, and finding him behind the counter, started waving energetically to attract his attention. When Yuuri arrived, Viktor beamed at him sunnily. “Hi there! I… need some help?” He gestured despairingly at the menu. “There’s just too many choices! Which ones do you like?”

Yuuri paused for a moment. “Well, as mentioned, the most popular flavours in the shop are the Hakuto Jelly cake, Buccellato and Cassata. The Hakuto Jelly cake is a…”

Viktor interrupted him however. “Uh-uh. I think you misunderstood the question. I’m asking which one _you_ like best.”

“Oh…” Yuuri looked down at his folded hands in front of his apron. “My favorite is the Ptichye Moloko, but that’s just my personal opinion. Not many people seem that interested in it though.”

“Great! I’ll go with that! Now for drinks…”

“You will?” Yuuri seemed surprised. “I don’t want to make you try it just because I like it. It’s not that–”

“I’ll go with that,” Viktor repeated, more firmly this time. “You know it might just bring back some childhood memories…” He left the sentence open, hoping Yuuri would take the bait and ask questions.

“Oh? Did you grow up in Russia?” Viktor internally cheered. _‘He took it! He took the bait!’_ Outward, however, Viktor maintained his normal composure, nodding. “Yes… well I spent part of my early years there. In fact, I was born in St. Petersburg! When I was eight years old however, I started to travel around, and spent less time home.”

It was refreshing to talk about himself to someone who wasn’t falling over themselves to get to know as much about him as possible and then post it on the internet or sell it to some magazine or another. Of course, he could be wrong and Yuuri could be simply pretending not to know him, but somehow, he was sure it wasn’t the case. And even if it were, it was nice to be treated like a normal person for once. It made him feel welcome just like he had when he arrived to Yu-Topia.

“Ah, I’d better get your order. It was nice chatting with you!” Yuuri blushed and hurried away.

Viktor was disappointed that Yuuri didn’t ask more questions or let him talk more about himself. Maybe it was cunning of him to try to leave him clues and see Yuuri’s reactions, but he had burnt himself too many times not to be careful about who he let close to himself. He watched Yuuri’s retreating back, his gaze dropping to the nice curve of Yuuri’s butt and following the round globes covered in a form fitting pair of black pants until they disappeared behind the counter.

Viktor leaned back in his chair, absentmindedly petting Makhachin’s fur, who had put his head on his thigh while Viktor was talking to Yuuri. Makkachin wagged his tail lazily and licked at his fingers affectionately, making Viktor sigh wistfully.

“He’s adorable, isn’t he?” he murmured, taking Makkachin’s answering huff as agreement. “Let’s get to know him better, alright?” He looked down at his friend, raising an eyebrow. “I’ll need your help, of course. You need to be your usual enchanting self.”

Makkachin wuffed and wagged his tail excitedly. Viktor took that as a yes.

 

                                                              

When his order arrived, Viktor was in awe. The slice of cake was a work of art! Viktor was almost loathe to eat it. However, one cannot have one’s cake and eat it too, so he settled for taking multiple shots of the slice, uploading the best one onto instagram, but not tagging the bakery in the last second out of pure selfishness before digging in. He wanted to keep Yuuri’s brilliance to himself.

The mouthful he took was enough to make him question his past cake choices.

“Vkusno!” He exclaimed, delighted. It was the best he had ever tasted! He took small mouthfuls, savouring each bite as though it was his last meal. All too soon, however, he was down to his last bite and he looked at the little forkful of cake mournfully before popping it into his mouth.

He hummed in delight, eyes closed to memorize the magical tastes bursting on his tongue.

“That was the best Ptichye Moloko I’ve ever tasted!” Viktor gushed enthusiastically as he waited for Yuuri to pack up the additional slices he decided to order for takeaway.

“Thank you!” Yuuri beamed, his cheeks pink and his warm brown eyes shining with pleasure.  It made Viktor wish to see him blush in a different setting. His fingers tingled with the need to touch the rosy skin, to feel its warmth and see how far it would spread. “Uhm… If you want, I could share the recipe with you?” Yuuri added shyly, though he ended up making it sound more like a question than a statement. “Since you mentioned that you’ve had it as a child, I thought that you might like to know how to make it…” He trailed off, seemingly unsure of how to continue.

Viktor was touched. Yuuri was truly an angel! Additionally, this granted him a chance to obtain Yuuri’s contact details. Score!

“That would be great!” Viktor nodded happily. He quickly took out his phone and passed it to Yuuri to key in his contact details. He then fired off a quick message to the new addition in his contact list with the simple message of “This is Viktor Nikiforov”. He waited for the recognition to dawn on Yuuri’s face as he read the message. However, Yuuri simply hummed and said, “So your name is Viktor. Well, Viktor, it was nice to meet you. I’ll send you the recipe later if that’s okay?”

‘Yes, of course,” Viktor agreed eagerly, already looking forward to reading Yuuri’s message even if it was only a recipe.

 

                                                                                                                          

 

Walking out of the small bakery with a small takeaway box, a name card and the contact details of one Yuuri Katsuki, Viktor stooped down to bury his face into Makkachin’s fur.

“Oh Makka, I think I’m in love.”

____________________________________

**Ptichye Moloko**

 

 

**Ingredients: (all at room temperature)**

 

**Cake Layers:**

  * 1 stick butter
  * 1/3 cup sugar
  * 2 eggs
  * 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  * 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract



 

**Soufflé Layers:**

  * 2 egg whites
  * 1 3/4 cup sugar
  * 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  * 2 tsp. Agar (20 gr gelatin)
  * 1/2 cup cold water
  * 1 3/4 stick unsalted butter
  * 1/4 cup condensed milk
  * 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract



 

**Chocolate Glaze**

  * 1/2 cup dark chocolate
  * 1/2 stick unsalted butter



 

**Direction:**

 

**Cake:**

  1. Combine butter with sugar in the mixer bowl and mix on medium-low speed until soft and fluffy, for about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time; after they mixed add vanilla and flour and mix until combined. (Don’t over mix it)
  2. Preheat oven to 350F.
  3. Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper and draw a circle on each sheet (use the bottom of the 9 1/2-inch (or 24 cm) springform pan). 
  4. Spread the batter on the circles on wax paper evenly and thinly. Don’t worry if it goes a bit over the circle, you will adjust it when it is baked. 
  5. Bake it for 10 minutes or until light golden color.
  6. After baking the layers, while they are hot adjust edges using knife and springform pan.



**Soufflé:**

  1. In small bowl combine cold water with Agar (gelatin).  Set aside for 20-30 minutes.
  2. On medium- high speed beat the butter with condensed milk and Vanilla Extract.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl and set aside. (do not refrigerate).
  3. In to a saucepan pour the gelatin mixture and on a medium-low heat, let it dissolve for about 1 minute.
  4. Add sugar and keep mixing until the mixture will start boiling/bubbling. Lower the heat to low and simmer while mixing for 2 minutes. 
  5. (You could determine that the mixture is ready when you could see the thin string when you hold the spoon/spatula above the pot.) Turn off the heat and let the mixture to cool little bit.
  6. In a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites with lemon juice until firm peaks appear.
  7. Very slowly pour in the still hot sugar and gelatin mixture beat until all is incorporated. The mixture will get very fluffy and will double in size.  Add the previously mixed butter and condensed mixture and mix until combined. Your soufflé is ready now. At this point it is still warm, that’s ok.
  8. Very slowly pour in the still hot sugar and gelatin mixture beat until all is incorporated. The mixture will get very fluffy and will double in size.  Add the previously mixed butter and condensed mixture and mix until combined. Your soufflé is ready now. At this point it is still warm, that’s ok.



 

**Assemble the cake:**

  1. Place one of the cake layers in to the bottom of springform, pour half of the soufflé on the top of the cake layer, place second cake layer on top and pour rest of the soufflé.
  2. So you got total of 4 layers (cake, soufflé, cake and soufflé).
  3. Refrigerate it for couple hours.



 

**Chocolate Glaze:**

 

  1. In a small bowl combine butter and chocolate, place the bowl over a double boiler or microwave and cook until it’s melted. Pour the mixture over the cake (white soufflé) and refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes.
  2. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove ring.




	2. Yu-Topia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Victuuri week: Day 2  
> Prompts:  
>  **Victor: Competition  
> **  
>  Yuuri: Long distance, Reunion  
> AU: Historical, Time Travel
> 
> Queenie: I'm completely blown away by your response to our fic! Seriously, I can't even with all the amazing kudos and comments! Here is chapter two! Also I added the recipe for Ptichye Moloko to chapter one and this chapter also has a recipe for a Russian cake at the end! Enjoy!

_Hi! This is Yuuri. Are you free tomorrow night?_

A simple line but it still made Yuuri feel conflicted. He chewed his lower lip, wondering how he got roped into this.

_‘Calm down, Yuuri. It’s just a simple text. Nothing big._ ’ Yuuri was mentally psyching himself up. His thumbs hovered over his phone, and before he could talk himself out of it, he pressed send. After clicking on it, he released a breath he did not realize he was holding. Glancing down, he noticed his fingers were shaking slightly. “Oh, that explains why it took me a while to text,” he noted dimly, his mind elsewhere.

His best friend Phichit was coming from Thailand to visit him, and had cajoled Yuuri into asking Viktor to come along for dinner for some reason. Not that Viktor didn’t seem like a great person –– and he was certainly more than gorgeous enough ––, but Yuuri had no idea how Phichit knew Viktor, or if he didn’t why he would want a complete stranger to go out for dinner with them. What he knew was that Phichit had seen some photo Viktor had uploaded onto his instagram page, and upon finding out that Yuuri was in contact with him, he all but begged him to let him meet Viktor.

 

> _“Please? I’ll be your best friend!” Phichit whined over skype._
> 
> _Yuuri sighed, facepalming. “Phichit, you are my best friend.” He replied in a deadpan_ _voice._
> 
> _“Please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?” Phichit continued to plead. “I’ll do anything, Yuuri, anything!”_

In the end, Yuuri conceded, saying he would ask Viktor, but could not guarantee anything and Phichit cheered, his face breaking into a huge smile. Yuuri thought, if nothing else, that sight was worth all the weirdness of the whole situation.

He suddenly jumped as he felt his phone vibrate.

  


Yuuri hastily typed out his response, hoping he won’t come across as too pushy.

Yuuri paused, thinking about checking with Phichit, but he knew where his best friend would want to eat. Every time he visited, he demanded to have as much of Yuuri’s mother’s cooking as possible, even though there were several other restaurants in town. Not that Yuuri thought his mother’s cooking skills were subpar to other chefs. No, of course not. His mother’s katsudon was famous in the region and she also liked to try new things, experimenting with Western Cuisine whenever she had a bit of a free time.

Taking Viktor home, however, felt different somehow. Not only because he was practically a stranger Yuuri had only met two days ago. And, okay, Viktor was charming and surprisingly did not stop contacting him after receiving the cake recipe, but having him eat at his parents’ table was another matter altogether. Of course, they could always meet at the inn and make the meeting more public and Phichit would be fine with that, but it also didn’t seem fitting.  

Was he overthinking it? His mother would be happy to have one more person to cook for and Yuuri was proud of what his parents had accomplished. Yu-Topia was his home and always would be. Taking Viktor there felt personal, maybe too personal, yet it would be like an offer of friendship, a way to open up and show Viktor that Yuuri wasn’t against getting to know him better.

With that in mind, he steeled his resolve and replied Viktor’s last message.

Looking down at his phone, it dawned on him that he didn’t even know where Viktor was staying. Obviously, he knew that Viktor was new in town, but he never asked if he were only on a vacation, a business trip or moved there permanently. Although he doubted Viktor moved in for long term. While it was hard to keep track of the comings and goings of people with all the tourists swarming Hasetsu out of nowhere, Yuuri doubted that one of his regulars would _not_ have told him about their town’s new resident, especially someone as… notable as Viktor, if that were the case. After all, that had been how he learned about the huge filming crew shooting some movie in town as well.

Not that he had seen anyone who looked like a filmstar. Well, he might have, but unless they were Fukano Hironobu, Pierre Hermé or even François Payard or any other TV chef, there was next to no chance that Yuuri would have recognized them. Sometimes he felt a bit bad that he had basically no knowledge of popular culture and that Phichit’s commentary about this celebrity and that actor flew right over his head, but he had other interests and he was fine with that.

The tremor running up his right arm brought him out of his thoughts, telling him Viktor just answered his text.

Yuuri felt his skin heat up at the last message, but his mind was already skipping ahead of him, planning desserts to take for Viktor to try. Of course, he would add a few slices of Ptichye Moloko and his mother’s favorite Angel Food Cake as well as Phichit’s lavender macarons, but he also wanted to surprise Viktor, show him what Yuuri was really capable of when he put his mind to it.

Ignoring his burning cheeks and Viktor’s compliment, he sent off another message, careful to keep it short even though the urge to start bombarding Viktor with questions about his likes and dislikes when it came to desserts was practically burning his finger tips.

  


Viktor’s reply was cheerful and just as short.

Yuuri took a deep breath and pushed away from the counter he had been leaning against, slipping his phone into the pocket of his apron and putting on a welcoming smile when he saw the door open. He had an entire night to figure out what to bake for Viktor.

“Yuuri!” Phichit squealed happily upon catching sight of him at the train station. He launched himself into Yuuri’s arms, pulling the man into a bone-crushing hug before whipping out his phone and snapping a selfie before Yuuri could even blink. “It’s so great to see you! How have things been? Is the bakery well? Anything new? Wait, don’t answer that. I know the answer to that. You met Viktor Nikiforov! And he had your Ptichye Moloko! I knew it was yours the moment I saw it and how could I not when I have a replica on your bakery’s instagram? And facebook page, of course. Still, Viktor Nikiforov ate your cake and loved it! How great is that?”

Yuuri’s mind swam with the constant barrage of comments Phichit was throwing at him. “Slow down, Phichit. One question at a time.” He waited warily for Phichit to catch his breath. “And what do you mean ‘I met Viktor Nikiforov’? Actually, how do you even _know_ him?”

Phichit furrowed his eyes in confusion. “What do you mean by that? I mean, it’s…” he trailed off for a moment before a look of understanding crossed his face. “Oh. Nevermind. I always forget you don’t use the internet all that much. He’s just a fellow instagram enthusiast, I follow all his posts. It’s a geek social media geek thing,” he explained waving his phone around in a dismissive gesture.  

It was now Yuuri’s turn to be confused. Something about what Phichit said sounded strange to him. Pressing the matter, however, would only lead to more confusion, especially if Phichit got himself into a tangent on the different ways Yuuri was supposed to use social media sites to make his bakery more popular. And while he appreciated his friend’s enthusiasm and eagerness to help, he would take Phichit’s crypticness over another lecture on his borderline technophobia.

“That’s great then,” he chose to say. “Viktor is waiting for us at Yu-Topia, and I’m sure you missed my mom’s cooking!”

“Of course! That’s the sole reason I came to Hasetsu!” Phichit grinned, grabbing Yuuri’s hand, and headed for the exit, but not before he took another quick picture of the two of them. Yuuri could only smile, used to his best friend’s eccentricities.

When Viktor saw Yuuri, he immediately let out a big smile, arm raised to wave. However, his smile dropped when he took note of the way the strange man next to Yuuri was being so familiar with him. His eyes narrowed at the hand that was grabbing Yuuri’s and his lips twisted downward into a frown, trying to find a casual way to take Yuuri’s hand away from the man. Who could only be Yuuri’s friend. Or was it boyfriend? He had to find out one way or another.

He glanced down at Hiroko, searching for any clue on her face about the relationship between Yuuri and the other man, not that he expected much. She didn’t seem to be into gossipping like most people in town. And he was right. Hiroko was smiling happily, but there was no sign of her knowing something. She simply looked happy to welcome two guests who came to eat her cooking. It was a little bit of a let down, but there was nothing to do, so Viktor suppressed the sigh pressing against his ribcage and turned back to Yuuri and his friend.

“Hello,” he greeted when they finally reached Hiroko and him. He made sure to use his most polite tone and forced the smile back onto his face. “See, I could find Yu-Topia just fine on my own!”

Yuuri stared up at him, his eyes wide with shock. Was it so surprising that Viktor could find his way around? It wasn’t like Hasetsu was a bustling metropolis and he had been there for two weeks already. Maybe he came across as airheaded? Did he look dumb? He didn’t think so and no one had told him he was stupid before either… except for Yuri and Yakov. But they were practically family with Yuri being his cousin and roommate in Los Angeles. And Yakov was his agent. So their words didn’t count anyway.

So it had to be something else. But whatever it was, the silence started to become awkward and Viktor just couldn’t let it leave its mark on his evening with Yuuri. And Yuuri’s friend. Who he still hadn’t been introduced to.

“Hey,” he said, tearing his gaze away from Yuuri’s beautiful brown eyes to look at Yuuri’s friend. “I’m Viktor Nikiforov.”

The man grinned and grasped the hand Viktor offered, shaking it eagerly. “I know! I follow you on instagram,” he replied with an even wider smile. “Would you mind taking a picture with me?”

“I… Yes, of course,” Viktor managed to say, completely flabbergasted by the man’s strange behavior. It was obvious he knew who Viktor was –– Viktor could pinpoint the look of a fan from miles away ––, yet he didn’t start gushing or even mentioned Viktor’s job.

Before Viktor could think about it any more, the man had already pressed close to his free side, mindful not to jostle Hiroko, and whipped out his phone smiling into the camera. “Say cheese!” The screen flashed white in the early evening dusk, blinding Viktor for a second. Then the man said something in Japanese of which Viktor only got ‘Hiroko-san’, then the flash was off again.

It felt like he was caught up in a hurricane, the man giving him a whiplash despite not doing anything extraordinary. He wanted to say something, maybe ask Yuuri to take a picture with him too, but he didn’t get the chance to get past opening his mouth because the man was in front of him again and speaking.

“Thanks for that,” he said, and Viktor could only smile and nod. “I’m Phichit Chulanont, Yuuri’s _best_ friend.” The way he said it carried a much deeper meaning, one that Viktor did not like for one second. And the look the man was giving him, void of any of his happiness from a second ago, was nothing if not a challenge.

Well, no one could say that Viktor did not thrive in competition. Just ask all the other actors who auditioned for the roles he got in the end.

He narrowed his eyes and smirked, offering his hand once again. “It’s _nice_ to meet you. Call me Viktor.

Yuuri was indeed speechless, but not for the reasons Viktor thought. No, he was stunned at the fact that there was Viktor, standing in front of the open gates of Yu-Topia and chatting leisurely with… his mother?! Whose arm was casually looped around Viktor’s elbow? Why was Viktor friendly with his mom?

He wanted to ask questions but then Phichit was doing his thing, being all charming and wanting pictures, and there was just no way Yuuri could get in the middle of that. He looked at his mother for guidance, hoping she would make sense of the surreal scene found himself in.

As though reading his mind, his mom beamed at Yuuri. “Yuuri! Meet our newest guest! He’s been with us for two weeks at least already!” she said, patting Viktor’s arm and drawing his attention immediately. “Oh Vi-chan, this is my son. I think I mentioned him before? He has a dog similar to yours!”

Viktor’s eyes widened, just as shocked as Yuuri felt from the looks of it. He stared at Yuuri’s mother for a few, long moments before his gaze snapped to Yuuri, his lips parted as if he was trying to say something but no sound came out. Yuuri could sympathize with that feeling.

“If I knew you were expecting to meet Yuuri, I would have told you about him more and took you back to the kitchen instead of letting you wait outside in this cold” his mother chirped, oblivious to the awkwardness straining between Viktor and Yuuri.

Of course, Phichit had to make things worse by opening his mouth. “You should bring out the baby pictures, Hiroko-san,” he said. The only thing saving him from Yuuri actually strangling him was that he switched to Japanese, so Viktor couldn’t understand a word. “Or not…” he added when he chanced a cheeky glance at Yuuri’s face and then quickly changed the topic. This time in English. “Well, I don’t know about you guys but I’m starving! Hiroko-san, I hope you made my favorite!”

“Of course, Phi-kun!” Yuuri’s mother giggled and allowed Phichit to put her hand on his elbow and lead him back into the house. “Come on boys, dinner waits for no man!”

Yuuri looked at Viktor and tried offer a shy smile. “Surprise?”

Viktor chuckled and his blue eyes were shining in the electronic torchlight that clicked on a few minutes ago. “A good one in my eyes,” he said, his voice warm and his smile sweet even though it still carried crumbs of his shock. “This way I’ll have the chance to get to know you better for sure.”

Yuuri dropped his gaze, thankful that in the semi-darkness his blush wasn’t visible. “Don’t believe my parents, they like to exaggerate when it comes to me.”

  
“I don’t know, so far your mother has only said the truth. After all, you are talented, kind and an amazing baker,” Viktor replied, leaning close enough to whisper his last words into Yuuri’s ear. “I can’t wait to taste your cake.”

Yuuri’s breath hitched and he felt like he was on fire, but Viktor was already turning away and walking after Phichit and Yuuri’s mother. After a few steps, he looked back over his shoulder and lifted an eyebrow.

“Are you coming?”

“Seriously, I can’t believe you’ve been staying at my parents’ place this whole time,” Yuuri whined into his pork cutlet bowl. A part of him still felt like burying his face in his hands. Or maybe finding a hole to bury himself in and never resurface again. He should have asked where Viktor was staying before. Viktor must have been laughing when Yuuri had asked if he had known Yu-Topia. Good grief! He felt like such a fool.

“You can’t believe? I can’t believe I didn’t realize you were the son they’d mentioned!” Viktor retorted with a shake of his head. He felt sort of cheated. Why was he not told of Yuuri before? He had lived with his parents! Why did they not recommend his shop as a site for Viktor to visit? They only told him about how amazing and talented their son was but never what he did. It robbed Viktor of two weeks he could have spent on learning more about Yuuri.

Of course, he could understand why neither Hiroko nor Toshiya told him about Yuuri’s shop. With the fans that found a way to follow him wherever he went it would have only caused problems for Yuuri if Viktor had started visiting him from day one. The fans might have been nicer and kept a moderate distance in Hasetsu, and after two weeks the sensation was finally starting to ebb a bit, but it needed only a spark to blow up again, and Viktor didn’t want that to happen to Yuuri.

Understanding the reasoning behind the time they wasted did not mean he was any less regretful though. Especially with Phichit sitting next to Yuuri like he belonged there, sending innocent smiles in Viktor’s way every now and then and showing him pictures of the two of them. Viktor couldn’t decide if he wanted to kill the man or thank him for all the amazing shots of Yuuri, but he still managed to click on the follow button in Phichit’s profile when no one was looking, his desire to see pictures of Yuuri winning over his jealousy of their closeness.

Despite his obvious embarrassment, Phichit’s teasing managed to loosen Yuuri up a bit, and by the time they were into their second glass of beer he was smiling and even laughing at the tales Phichit was sharing. At one of these moments, he fell against Viktor’s side, his slight body shaking with his fits of giggles and Viktor couldn’t pass up the opportunity. He sneaked his arm around Yuuri’s shoulders, and due to the alcohol in his system, Yuuri simply laughed and didn’t pull away.

As they continued to interact, Viktor started to notice that while Phichit was an affectionate person, his actions did not speak of any romantic interest. His touches were warm and caring, but completely platonic and it settled the hissing and snarling beast lurking in Viktor’s chest. He also managed to notice the furtive looks Phichit threw him and Yuuri, his dark eyes gleaming dangerously and matching the mysterious smile on his face.

Viktor knew whatever the man was planning, it didn’t bode well for him.

“That was delicious!” Phichit exclaimed after dinner, stretching out his arms. Yuuri hummed his agreement, while Viktor nodded his head. The three of them were resting on the floor, with Viktor on Yuuri’s right. Phichit gave up his spot on Yuuri’s other side in favor of spreading out like a starfish on the other side of the low table. Glancing at Yuuri, Viktor saw that he was rather relaxed with his eyes half-closed and a sated smile playing on his lips. Sensing an opening, he gently rested his head on Yuuri’s shoulder. Yuuri jumped, spooked, but after a second of staring at Viktor  he slumped back down again and even raised a hand to Viktor’s hair.

The mood was perfect. And it would have continued to be perfect, had someone not decided to take a picture.

“Phichit!” Yuuri yelled, face blooming shades of red so deep it would have put a rose to shame.

“I couldn’t help it! You guys were so cute!” Phichit whined, clutching his phone to his chest as though he was afraid Yuuri would snatch it away and delete the photo. Yuuri faltered, glancing towards Viktor. “Uh… I… We…uh…  Oh! I’ll go fetch the cakes!” Yuuri shot to his feet, only wobbling a little, and all but ran to the kitchen.  

When Yuuri had disappeared, Phichit leaned over the table and gave Viktor a knowing grin. “You like Yuuri don’t you?”

Viktor’s heart stuttered, but outwardly, he shrugged his shoulders noncommittally. “Yuuri is a nice guy, and his cakes are delicious,” he hedged, unwilling to share more. Phichit pouted. Clearly the answer was not what he wanted to hear.

“Yeah, I know that. But you don’t just like Yuuri, you _like_ Yuuri,” Phichit drawled, daring Viktor to deny it. Viktor was silently amazed that he could hear the italics in his words.

He tensed for a moment before he sighed, slumping against the table. “Is it that obvious?”

Phichit shrugged his shoulders, his gaze shifting into a doleful expression. “It’s obvious to everyone but Yuuri. He’s a talented baker, a wonderful friend, but he can be oblivious, especially when it concerns matters of the heart.”

Viktor groaned, running a hand through his hair. “I really like Yuuri, yes. He’s shy, but when he’s talking about cakes and desserts his eyes sparkle and he becomes so confident, it’s as though he’s a different person! He can be funny and sassy at times too, which was a nice surprise. Every reaction he has is honest, and he’s so genuine around me. He’s just so… full of life, and it inspires me.”

Phichit was silent for a few minutes. “He doesn’t know anything about you though.”

Viktor nodded. “He doesn’t know me as ‘Viktor Nikiforov, two time Academy Award actor’. He just knows me as ‘Viktor, the guy who almost ate him out of his favorite cake’, which is the way I like it. I don’t have to put on an act, or be worried about what I say for fear of letting the paparazzi find out. I can be myself around him.”

Phichit nodded. “Well,” he sighed, “It’s clear you care about him. But you better tell him fast, before he finds out from somewhere else. Otherwise, he’ll overthink things and the results will not be pretty. ”

Just at that moment, Yuuri’s cheerful voice rang out. “Okay, lavender macarons for Phichit, a slice of Ptichye Moloko for Viktor, and…” Yuuri shyly set out a cake Viktor had not seen before. “This is chocolate honey layer cake. I made it as a surprise for you.”

Viktor looked at Yuuri, slightly stunned and very touched by the sweet gesture. Impulsively, he threw his arms around Yuuri and pulled him into a tight hug and flashing him a wide grin. “Aw, that’s so sweet of you! I’m sure I’ll love it too! Cut me a slice?” Viktor begged, pulling his famous puppy look.

Yuuri only blushed harder, ducking his head in embarrassment.

As Yuuri set about cutting a slice of the surprise cake, Viktor reflected on the short conversation that transpired before Yuuri’s return and sighed. He knew he had to tell Yuuri the truth soon, but they had only just started forming a bond. He was loathing the mere thought of revealing who he really was. He feared that Yuuri might start being more self-conscious and start avoiding him. But he had a little more time. Or more like he needed more time. Time to be himself and enjoy as Yuuri slowly opened up to him. Just a moment to revel in the normalcy and dream.

 

With a smile at Yuuri he stuck his fork into the cake Yuuri brought out for him and closed his eyes, his doubts and fears melting away as the balsamic smoothness of honey and chocolate washed over his palate.

Yes, just a little more time.

_________________________________

**Ingredients:**

**For the cake:**

  * 1/2 cup milk
  * 3 Tablespoons honey
  * 1 cup sugar
  * 4 Tablespoons butter
  * 2 teaspoons baking soda
  * 4-5 Tablespoons cocoa
  * 1 egg
  * 2 1/2 cups flour



**Pastry cream:**

  * 4 Tablespoons flour
  * 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  * 2 cups milk
  * 1/4-1/3 cup sugar
  * 3 egg yolks
  * 1/4 teaspoon salt
  * 2 teaspoons vanilla
  * 2 Tablespoons butter
  * 1 cup heavy cream



**For the top of the cake:**

  * 1/2 can of cooked condensed milk, dulche de leche
  * 1/2 stick butter, softened
  * 1/4 cup sour cream
  * 2 Tablespoons water
  * 2 1/4 teaspoons gelatin
  * For the chocolate-almond bees:
  * 3 oz. semisweet chocolate
  * 1/3 cup heavy cream
  * 1 Tablespoon honey
  * slivered almonds
  * 1 oz. white chocolate, melted



**Preparation**

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat up the milk, honey, sugar, butter, baking soda and cocoa, just until butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
  3. Whisk the egg and add a little bit of the heated batter, while whisking. This is called tempering and will keep the egg from curdling.
  4. Add the tempered mixture to the rest of the batter. Add the flour and mix until combined. Allow the dough to cool slightly, just enough that you can handle it, however, you need to work quickly because it won’t roll out properly if it’s too cold.
  5. Roll the dough out very thinly and cut it out into an 8-10 inch circle. I use a lid or the bottom of a springform pan to trace and cut it out with a paring knife. If you have a tart pan, that works the best, actually. Use a fork to poke some holes across the surface of the cake layer.
  6. A tip about rolling out the dough. This dough is pretty sticky, but if you add too much flour it will have too much gluten and will keep shrinking back when you roll it out. I use a spoon to take out a handful of dough and scrape it off with another spoon right onto a generously floured surface, sprinkle more flour on top and start rolling, adding more flour as needed.
  7. You will have 10-15 layers of cake, depending on the size of your circles. They are very hard, but will soften when topped with pastry cream.
  8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you’re using a tart pan, sprinkle it with flour. Bake for 4-6 minutes. Take off the baking sheet or tart pan right away. They bake really quickly, so it really doesn’t take very long to do all the cake layers. Brush off the flour with a pastry brush.
  9. To make the pastry cream, whisk the flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Heat up the milk in a sauce pan just until it is starting to foam. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and then add the flour, cornstarch.
  10. Add a little bit of milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly and gradually adding the rest of the milk.
  11. There you go, tempering again, to make sure the eggs don’t curdle. Twice in the same recipe. This doesn’t happen very often. Return to the saucepan and cook on medium heat, whisking constantly again until the pastry cream has thickened.
  12. Add the salt, butter and vanilla, stirring until the butter is melted. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, laying right on top of the pastry cream. This will prevent the pastry cream from forming a skin. Refrigerate until completely cool.
  13. In a cold bowl and a cold whisk attachment, whip up the cream.
  14. Fold gently into the pastry cream.
  15. To assemble the cake, top each cake layer with pastry cream, about 1/3 cup.
  16. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  17. You will need bubble wrap to create the honeycomb look. Cut out enough bubble wrap to cover the surface of the cake and cut out another strip of bubble wrap to cover the sides of the cake.
  18. When the cake is cool and ready to decorate, mix the condensed milk, butter and sour cream until smooth.
  19. Sprinkle the gelatin on top of the water and allow to stand for about 5 minutes.
  20. Heat in the microwave or on the stovetop until dissolved, but do NOT bring to a boil.
  21. Pour into the prepared cream and mix to combine. Since it’s so hot, it will make the cream very thin in consistency. Working quickly, pour over the cake and spread evenly on the top and the sides. It will thicken within minutes, so you have to work fast. In fact, both Sergi and I were working on this together and we didn’t even have time to take a picture. Place the bubble wrap on top of the cake, pressing gently so it adheres completely, forming the little pockets for the honeycombs. Sometimes, I put the bubble wrap only on top of the cake and not the sides. Make crumbs out of some of the cake layer scraps and press it into the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until cool.
  22. For the bees, make the ganache. Cut the chocolate.
  23. In a saucepan, cook the cream, honey and chocolate until melted. Cool. Form little bees with the chocolate. It’s very easy to work with. Press two slivers of almond to each side for wings and pipe out white chocolate on top to create stripes.
  24. Peel off the bubble wrap from the cake.
  25. Add the bees to the top of the cake. You can pipe a border around the outside of the cake from buttercream. (Recipe not included. I think this post is long enough.) You can bake the cake layers ahead of time and store until you’re ready to assemble the cake. You can also make the pastry cream and refrigerate it, just don’t add the whipped cream.Instead of the honeycomb topping, you can cover the cake with more pastry cream and decorate it with chocolate shavings or use one of the cake layers, crush it and sprinkle over the cake. Another option is to cover the cake with a chocolate ganache.



Source: http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/russianrecipes/chocolate-honey-layer-cake/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are on Tumblr!  
> yuurinomahouteki.tumblr.com  
> mangaxotomelover.tumblr.com


	3. Tabloid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 of Victuuri Week  
> Prompts:  
>  **Victor: Hope/Regret  
>  Yuuri: Reassurance/Doubt**  
> AU: Role Swap, Superpowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are amazing! Hopefully, you're ready for a bit of an angst and actual adult!Yuuri who can use his words. Thank you for the kudos and comments!

 

###  _ Love Is in the Air: Viktor Nikiforov Spotted with Co-Star Sara Crispino at a Cozy Café _

Viktor nervously licked his lips. He did not want to tell Yuuri the truth just yet. He had been hoping to slowly woo the man before gently breaking the news, perhaps over a romantic candle-lit dinner. However, he had found out that some tabloid magazine had published some nonsense of his costar and him having an affair behind the scenes. Any other time, he would have ignored it and simply rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of it, but there was no way Yuuri could miss the pictures of him splashed over every god forsaken paper around town. 

It meant that he had no other choice but to come clean, because if nothing else, Viktor still wanted to look Yuuri in the eye and be the one to tell him, even if it wasn’t the way he wanted to do it. Sitting at the cafe with Yuuri standing in front of him with a mildly confused expression, however, was making him question if he was doing the right thing. Steeling his mind and convincing himself that yes, it was the right thing, he opened his mouth and began to confess. 

“I’m sorry, Yuuri, I didn’t want to tell you like this. I was hoping to spend more time with you before you found out the truth. But I’d rather it be that you find out through me than through an article,” Viktor said in an apologetic tone after telling Yuuri the truth. That he was not a normal tourist, and was in fact, the famous actor that had come over with the filming crew Yuuri mentioned in passing a few days before. That he was a two time Academy Award winner actor.

Yuuri took in a sharp breath at that statement and his face twisted even more. The expression was so broken that it took Viktor all his strength to stay in his seat and not jump up and hug the man. Viktor had never regretted a decision more than this. He hated himself for being the reason that Yuuri was making such a heartbroken expression. For the first time, he truly hated his job, and wished that he was not somebody famous, but a normal person. Perhaps then he could have fallen in love with Yuuri and not worry about the consequences. 

  
  


Yuuri was definitely hyperventilating. Who could blame him?

Yuuri stared at Viktor, expecting him to burst into laughter and say, “Joking! I was just joking.” But Viktor was still hunched in on himself, his shoulders slumped and his face carefully blank after what felt like an eternity but in reality hadn’t been more than two minutes according to the clock above the coffee maker. Yuuri’s lungs were throwing a bloody revolution, refusing to take in any air, and he had to grip the back of the chair across from Viktor to keep his balance.

He should have really sat down when Viktor told him so. 

As it was, he tried to concentrate on the pain caused by the metal under his hand digging into his skin, in hopes to kickstart his breathing before he passed out. Because that would be the perfect cherry on top of the shitty cake Viktor had served him, who was probably laughing behind his back about the poor, stupid baker’s cluelessness. And Yuuri had played along perfectly, fitting into the role of the starstruck fool who fell for the handsome stranger’s charms only to become a laughing stock in front of everyone when the truth came out that the handsome stranger was some rich bastard, playing a commoner. Someone really should make a movie out of the story. And cast Viktor Nikiforov as the protagonist.

Inhaling deeply, the once automatic motion now stuttered and broken, he steeled his resolve and straightened his back. He won’t make a scene even if he was alone with Viktor, the shop already closed for the day. He didn’t care how much endless strings of screams were clawing at his throat. He would not give Viktor the satisfaction of seeing him crumble. He let his tongue dampen his parched lips and glared down at Viktor.

“So let me get this straight,” he started, not as cool as he hoped for. His voice was shaking slightly, but it didn’t seem like Viktor noticed or cared as he was still staring at his plate, his mousse cake half touched, not saying a word. “You’re Viktor Nikiforov, a two time Academy Award winner actor...” Yuuri trailed off, trying to figure out how to continue. 

If he was honest and pushed away the first shock at being deceived, his main problem wasn’t even that Viktor hadn’t told him before. No. He could understand why Viktor wouldn’t want to do that the moment they had met. After all, they barely knew each other. But then they started texting and Yuuri had even invited him over to his family’s place for dinner! Surely that had been enough to convince Viktor to open up to Yuuri? 

Obviously not. Viktor’s silence was proof enough of that.

“I guess, it was never a priority to tell me, huh?” As Viktor continued to keep silent, Yuuri felt his anger start to boil over. He saw himself as a relatively mild mannered man, but the shock he got that day was too much for him to take in silence. Still, he made an effort to keep his voice down and blink away the tears stinging his eyes. “I mean, I get it, okay? Why would you tell the guy you’ve only known for a little over a week that you’re some big name in Hollywood? It’s not like I let you into my life and took you home to meet my parents.” Viktor flinched back, his head hanging even lower if possible. “But you did not want me to find out from a magazine, because you’re  _ noble _ enough to make sure I learn the truth from you, but that was it, wasn’t it? Your hands got tied by some article or another. But what did I do to make you doubt me? To not trust me?” Yuuri was starting to rant, all his negative thoughts pouring out. “Is it because I’m some unknown baker? Is it because I’m not good enough? That being acquainted with me would affect your career? Is that why?” Yuuri could feel tears pooling in his eyes no matter how hard he was trying to will them back. He hated it when that happened. It made him feel weak, useless. Closing his eyes in a bid to regain some semblance of control, he took in a shuddering breath. “Are… are you ashamed of me?”

Viktor’s eyes widened. He had expected there to be screaming and crying, but no preparations would have been sufficient to see the tears building in Yuuri’s eyes. Viktor’s heart tightened. The sight alone was enough to make Viktor want to grovel at Yuuri’s feet and beg for forgiveness. This was all his fault. If only he had gathered his courage and told Yuuri earlier. Hearing that last question however, made Viktor gasp. It was not true! In fact, it was the other way around! It was him who did not feel he was good enough. 

Yuuri deserved the best, not the media circus that surrounded Viktor’s life. He did not want Yuuri to ever doubt him if they got together, but articles like the ones published that morning were common and Viktor had experienced the bitter wedge jealousy could put between two people no matter how unfounded it was enough times not to want that to happen to Yuuri. The idea alone was enough to make him want to throw up. The urge only become stronger when Yuuri’s words echoed in his mind. Was that how Yuuri viewed himself? Did he truly not see how talented he was? How amazing? How beautiful?

Swallowing the bile burning the back of his throat, he shot to his feet, wincing when his chair fell to the floor with a loud clang. It didn’t stop him, however, from stepping around the table to pull Yuuri into his arms, clumsily trying to comfort the shaking man in his arms. He ignored the struggles of the shorter man, instead only tightening his hold.

“No! No, it’s not that, you have to believe me! Yuuri, you are the best thing that ever happened to me!” Viktor felt his shirt become damp. Oh dear. Yuuri was crying, and it was all his fault. Viktor slowly inhaled and exhaled, thinking of what to say. “I’m so sorry Yuuri. The reason why I didn’t tell you was because I was scared. I was afraid that you would start treating me differently. That you would start seeing me as ‘Viktor Nikiforov the actor’, and no longer see me as just Viktor. I was afraid of losing the first real friend I made.” 

Cradling the man in his arms, Viktor continued, his voice quiet. “All my life, I was always alone. Anybody who approached me simply wanted to know the superstar who could open doors to them. I know it sounds cliche. I won’t deny that I’m basically a walking cliche, but it’s the truth. People aren’t interested to get to know the person behind the name, unless they can get something out of it. The only real companion I had was Makkachin. Pathetic, I know.” He took a shuddering breath, hiding his nose in Yuuri’s hair, inhaling the sweet smell of sugar and spices. “And then I met you. You treated me like I was normal, just another customer coming into your shop. You were welcoming and kind, but did not fawn over me. You were a breath of fresh air when I was suffocating in the stagnant glitz and glamour of fame. You brought back colour into my life. It was the first time I could truly laugh and not be worried about the consequences.”

Pausing, Viktor swallowed his pride and admitted, “I… I was being selfish. I wanted you to like me for myself, not thinking how you would feel when you learned of the truth. I only thought about myself. I didn’t consider your feelings, and I’m so so sorry about that Yuuri. It was never my intention to hurt you.”

Yuuri had stopped struggling, but the increasing dampness on Viktor’s shirt indicated that he was still crying, and Viktor was growing frantic by the minute. “Yuuri, what should I do? What should I do to show you that you mean so much to me? What should I do to dry up your tears? Should I just kiss you or something?” 

“No! Just… just stand by me, and trust in me!”

Yuuri’s reply shook Viktor to the core.  _ ‘Of course,’ _ he realised belatedly. He was a fool to realise it only now. That was what was hurting Yuuri the most. The lack of trust he had demonstrated was what had broken Yuuri’s heart, especially after he had opened up to Viktor. Viktor could feel his heart constrict. If he had hurt his chances of being with Yuuri because of this, he would never forgive himself. 

A tightening hold over his torso distracted him from his thoughts however. Glancing down at the man in his embrace, he was surprised to see that Yuuri had taken to wrapping his arms around him, unlike before where his arms were simply hanging loosely by his side. He was squeezing Viktor in response, a silent gesture that spoke a thousand words to Viktor. 

_ Everything will be fine. I forgive you. Thank you. _

_ _

Yuuri knew how therapeutic a good cry could be, but he did not expect to feel so light and relieved in the wake of Viktor’s confession. Now that his head was mostly clear of the ghosts of anxiety for the time being, he could see Viktor’s reasoning to hide who he was better. It did not mean that he wasn’t still a little angry or disappointed about being kept in the dark, but the feelings did not eat at him, chipping away at his trust with each word Viktor uttered.

He could feel how much Viktor regretted not telling him in the rawness of his voice and the tightness of his embrace. It was reassuring enough for Yuuri to let most of his doubts go and look up at Viktor with a smile no matter how shaky it was. Viktor beamed down at him, his eyes wide and suspiciously shiny. 

“You’re not out of the woods just yet,” Yuuri found himself saying. The smile instantly dropped from Viktor face, making Yuuri feel a little bad. However, he knew he had to be honest as well. “You don’t have to pretend to be anything but yourself, Viktor. If being an actor and famous is part of your life, then it’s part of who you are. I don’t need you to treat me with kid’s gloves just because you’re afraid of how I will take this or that. You want me to treat you like a normal person, then be one with all the flaws and problems attached. Trust me to be your friend just like I trust you to be mine. To be by your side as you’ve been by mine. That’s all I need and want.”                          

Viktor still deeply regretted his choice, but Yuuri’s reaction sparked some hope in his heart. Perhaps, just perhaps, he still stood a chance to win Yuuri Katsuki’s heart. 

 

________________________

 

**Strawberry and Passion Fruit Bavarian Mousse Cake**

 

**For the Yellow Cake:**

  * 12 oz –Unsalted Butter
  * 13 oz –Granulated Sugar
  * …………………………….
  * 4 each – Whole Eggs
  * ……………………………
  * 15 oz – Cake Flour
  * 4 tsp – Baking Powder
  * ……………………………
  * 15 oz – Milk
  * 2 tsp – Vanilla Extract



Procedure:

  1. Place the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  2. Add the eggs a little at a time until it is smooth and creamy.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
  4. Add 1/4 of the dry ingredients and mix well.
  5. Add 1/3 of the liquid and mix just until blended.
  6. Repeat until all ingredients are used and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
  7. Divided mixtures into a baking pans and bake 300*F for 40 to 50 minutes.



**For Strawberry Mousse:**

  * 1 cup – Strawberry Puree
  * 10 each –Gelatin Sheet or 1 ½ tbsp –Gelatin Powder
  * 2 cups –Whipped Cream
  * 1/2 cup- Sugar



Procedure:

  1. Whip the cream with sugar into soft peak.
  2. Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water and set aside to soften.
  3. Place the softened gelatin mixture over heat until dissolved.
  4. Add the gelatin mixture to the puree. Gradually fold the mixtures into the whipped cream until smooth and set aside.



**For Passion Fruit Mousse:**

  * 1 cup –Passion Fruit Puree
  * 10 each Gelatin Sheet or 1 ½ tbsp – Gelatin Powder
  * 2 cups – Whipped Cream
  * 1/2 cup -sugar



(Use same mousse procedure)

**To assemble the Mousse Cake:**

  1. Cut one of the Yellow cakes into 3 layers and place one layer into the bottom of 10 –inch ring mold.
  2. Spread the Strawberry Mousse halfway evenly on top and refrigerate until the mousse set (15 minutes).
  3. Spread the Passion Fruit Mousse on top of the Strawberry Mousse and refrigerate until set.
  4. Garnish with fresh fruit.



Source: https://www.palacasino.com/2012/dessert-recipe-of-the-month-strawberry-and-passion-fruit-bavarian-mousse-cake/

 


	4. Narita

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victuuri Week Day 4  
> Prompt: free for all
> 
> Yuri Plisetsky is a taifun wrapped in a small, cute, blond package.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, you have no idea how amazing your response to this fic has been! Thank you for being wonderful and amazing and everything Viktor thinks of Yuuri. You are the best!

Viktor was man enough to admit that he was hiding from his cousin. Or more precisely, from his cousin’s infamous wrath. However, no matter who asked, he would stand by his point that Yuri’s demands had been downright crazy and impossible. And not just because Tokyo was a nearly eight hour train ride away from Hasetsu, not to mention crowded and that there was absolutely no way he could walk about without being mobbed by rabid fans. No, it was because Yuri had out of the blue announced to Viktor that he was coming, which had forced Viktor to scramble around and arrange another room for him. Thankfully, the Katsukis were very understanding and accommodating, despite the last minute request. 

They had quickly cleared out a spare room within the day, saving Viktor the headache of having to look for a hotel, something that would have been near impossible to find, what with the filming crew and the visiting fans already taking up most of the town’s accommodations. Thank goodness for Hiroko’s quick thinking. Viktor would have to find a way to thank her for all that she had done for him. 

Despite the last minute arrangements, he knew that Yuri would arrive breathing fire, especially after realizing that Viktor had not teleported to Tokyo to pick him up. Maybe any other person would be horrified that a sixteen-year-old boy was left to his own devices in a foreign country, but Yuri had been coming and going mostly alone all around the world since his debut at the Paris Fashion Week two years ago. Being independent, sadly, did not mean that Yuri wasn’t a spoiled brat who expected everyone around him to be at his beck and call, and hence he was now hiding out in Yuuri’s bakery with Makkachin, watching as Yuuri puttered around behind the counter.

Currently, Yuuri was busy preparing some sort of foamy coffee a girl in a high school uniform ordered. She called it Agape, and from what Viktor had seen, it contained more milk and cream than coffee. Also some glittering sprinkles as it turned out. Viktor had a love/hate relationship with the various sprinkles Yuuri offered his customers because they had the tendency of sticking to Yuuri’s fingers and tip of his nose. He looked adorable and Viktor had to stomp down the urge to suck Yuuri’s fingers into his mouth. 

This time, the sparkling powder somehow found its way onto Yuuri’s left cheekbone, giving him an almost glamorous look, and Viktor had to avert his eyes to stop himself from walking over and kissing the edible glitter away. Instead, he chose to check his phone for the hundredth time in the past hour, wincing when a new picture of Yuri in front of Narita popped up on his Instagram feed. 

Not caring about who could see him, he let his forehead thunk against the top of the table. He was a dead man. Yuri’s caption just said so, and he had no way to appease him. It wasn’t that he was afraid of his cousin. Despite his delinquent-like behavior, Yuri was sweet and harmless as a kitten, but he was a kitten with a harsh, loud voice that had the tendency of grating on Viktor’s nerves the more Yuri kept blabbering. And Yuri liked... no, adored to rant when enraged, which meant that Viktor either started looking for some top quality ear plugs or come up with something to gag Yuri with. 

“Do you think shoving a wad of tissue down a kid’s throat would be too much?” he blurted out when Yuuri appeared at his table with a plate of dream-like desserts. That froze a few inches from the table as Yuuri stood bent over, stricken stock still by Viktor’s question.

“I have the feeling I don’t want to know why you want to choke a child,” Yuuri answered after a long moment of silence, his tone hushed. He put the plate in front of Viktor then crouched down in front of Makkachin to offer him a gentle scratch behind his ear and his own plate of cake specially made for Makkachin’s doggy stomach.

“My cousin just landed in Tokyo and he’s angry. With me.”

“Did you do something to earn his wrath?”

“You wound me, Yuuri!” Viktor gasped dramatically, earning a few giggles from the people sitting near him. He offered them a small smile before turning back to look at Yuuri’s still crouched form. “I would never…” Yuuri simply raised an eyebrow. “... I did not go to pick him up even though he wanted me to.”

Yuuri tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. “I thought you had filming last night?”

“I did. I half-remember sending you a text when I got ho... back to Yu-Topia around three in the morning,” Viktor said with a nod, checking his texts and promptly groaning when he found the garbled nonsense his nearly dead mind thought was a nice good night message sitting in the bottom of his conversation feed with Yuuri.

“How could you go and pick him up then? Unless you’d known about it for days––”

“He only told me yesterday.”

“Well…” Yuuri seemed conflicted about how to continue, and Viktor felt his heart swell at how sweet Yuuri was. Any other person would have and had badmouthed Yuri, hoping to look supporting in Viktor’s eyes and completely forgetting that despite every flaw, Yuri was Viktor’s baby cousin. “That’s a bit last minute. Technically, you could have gotten there in time depending on the departure times from Fukuoka, but…”

“I know. I asked Otabek, one of the interns on site, to go in my place because I had no idea when we would be finished with shooting the scene. Obviously, Yuri’s less than pleased with me,” Viktor explained, shrugging one of his shoulders. “And he’s one very loud child. Although if you try to call him a child to his face he will eviscerate you. He’s sixteen and very sensitive about his age.”

Yuuri’s lips curled up into an amused smile. “I’ll try to keep that in mind. Still, I’m sure he will understand your reasoning when you talk to him.”

Viktor wanted to snort at that, but politely swallowed the ugly reaction back. “Sadly, that’s not an option. Hence the idea about silencing him with a huge ball of tissues. But if you have a better idea, it’s more than welcome of course.” He flashed a wide smile, adding just enough pleading to it to cause the women whispering and not so covertly watching them swoon. At least no one had their phones out at the moment.

“Does he like sweets?”

“I know that he likes to eat.” Actually, Viktor wasn’t sure if Yuri liked sweets. All he ever saw him eat were savory and spicy things, unless it was his grandfather’s famous pirozhki. Personally, Viktor wasn’t a fan of the deep fried… delicacy, but Yuri could put it away like there was no tomorrow and did not care what filling his grandfather put into it. Still, that did not answer Yuuri’s question.

“That’s good,” Yuuri nodded. “Anything in particular?”

“Pirozhki.” Yuuri hummed, and Viktor could see that the cogs were already turning in lightspeed in his head. “Yuuri, what are you planning?”

“Do you trust me?” Yuuri asked instead of replying and there was only one response to that.

“Of course.”

“Good.” With that he rose to his feet with a last parting brush against Makkachin’s head and simply walked away, a cheeky little grin touching his lips.

Viktor went back to banging his forehead against the table, but this time for an entirely different reason.

The bell tinkled above the shop’s door, signalling yet another customer’s entry.

“Welcome!” Yuuri called out, emerging from the kitchen and expecting to take an order, only to be greeted by a death glare from a punk wearing a leopard print hoodie.

“Cut the crap,” the boy hissed. “I know he’s here, the bastard. Where. Is. That damn cousin of mine?” He swivelled his head, scanning the area, eyes narrowing when he caught sight of the familiar silver-haired man. 

“What the hell Viktor?” he all but screeched before Yuuri could react in any way.

Yuuri saw Viktor flinch, his shoulders going rigid, and even without the boy calling him his cousin, it would have been easy to figure out who the loud kid was. Suddenly, several things became clear, one of them the reason behind Viktor’s homicidal thoughts. The boy was loud. Incredibly loud. And rude.

Shaking his head, Yuuri went back to the kitchen to finish the last minute preparations on Yuri’s surprise, thanking the heavens that most of the customers had already left for the day. Hopefully, it would help in quieting the noisy boy down, at least a little bit.

“Yuri!” Viktor waved and plastered a fake smile when he caught sight of his cousin stomping towards him. “So glad you could join us here! How was the flight?” 

“Damn you Viktor! Why didn’t you come pick me up at the airport? First, I got mobbed by a bunch of crazies. They were screaming and clawing at my clothes. I nearly lost my life there! Then some guy appeared and plucked me out of the crowd without saying a word! I thought he was going to murder me! But no, that would have been nice because I had to make my way down by train, and guess what, it was eight hours. Eight freaking hours! And when I arrived, I had zero clue how to find you! Otabek had no freaking idea either and you were not answering your damn phone! What’s the point of having a damn phone if you’re not going to use it?” Yuri ranted, his green eyes blazing with fury. 

“You should have told me you were sending someone because you’re a lazy old bastard! You’re lucky Otabek was useful,” he huffed out grudgingly. “He was great at distracting the fangirls, and he made the train ride bearable. Just. But don’t think you’re off the hook just yet,” Yuri warned, throwing him an ugly look.

“Aww, come on, you know I’m a busy man, Yuri...” Viktor whined, dragging out the ‘u’ in the name. However, Yuuri, who was in the kitchen, heard the last part and popped his head out in confusion. 

“You called?”

Viktor was somewhat baffled, looking from Yuuri to Yuri, then back. It suddenly dawned on him on what the matter was. Oh dear. They had similar sounding names, and Viktor only just realised.

“Hm… This might be confusing,” Viktor mused, glancing from Yuuri to Yuri. His expression brightened, which was never a good sign, and exclaimed, “That’s it! From henceforth you’ll be called Yurio!” Viktor pointed out to Yuri. 

Yuri was livid. “Why do I get the stupid nickname? I’m your cousin! He should be the one to get a nickname!” Yuri spat out with indignation. 

Viktor simply shrugged. “He’s older than you, so he gets first dibs.” 

Yuri snarled and threw himself into the chair across from him, glaring daggers at him. He even ignored Makkachin’s attempts to gain his attention and some love, which was unprecedented, telling Viktor just how angry Yuri really was. He chanced a look at Yuuri, who was still standing in the kitchen door, speechless from shock. Not that Viktor could blame him. His cousin was a taifun and an acquired taste at best. He could only hope that his horrible bedside manners wouldn’t scare Yuuri away for good

“You’re an asshole,” Yuri fumed, dragging Viktor’s attention away from Yuuri before he could check if his apologetic looks had been interpreted correctly.

“Yuri––”

“If you finish that word with another sound, I’ll cut you,” Yuri threatened, eyes narrowed before they fell on the menu in the middle of the table. “And feed me finally, would you? The shit they gave me on the plane was horrible.”

“I… of course.” What else was there to say to such a nice request?

Yuuri was apprehensive of how Yuri would take to him. From what he had heard from Viktor, the boy was… explosive, for lack of a better word. Of course, he would take Viktor’s stories with a pinch of salt, as the man was known to exaggerate, but it still made Yuuri apprehensive. In hopes to appease the ‘Russian Tiger’, as Viktor had called him, Yuuri had tried his hand in making pirozhkis. Viktor had mentioned that Yuri had a soft spot for the treat. The attempt turned out pretty decent, if Yuuri did say so himself, but the nervousness did not lessen. 

When Yuri had plopped himself across Viktor, demanding to be fed, Yuuri retreated back to the kitchen. He needed a moment to absorb what had just transpired. 

He busied himself with organizing the savory and sweet pirozhkis on two tastefully decorated plates. He sifted a little powdered sugar on top of the sweet apple filled ones, stopping himself from making a batch of chocolate sauce as well. It was just his anxiety acting up, telling him that he was stupid and there was no way Yuri would like the surprise. Instead, he did some breathing exercises, counting in his head and forcing his shoulders and spine to relax a little more with each breath he let out.

By the time he hit fifty, he felt marginally better and decided he was well enough to face Viktor, his cousin and the outside world again. Picking up the plates and a jug of elderberry tea, he walked out of the kitchen and headed straight to Viktor and Yuri’s table. He sent Makkachin a smile when he lifted his head from his paws and wagged his tail, silently promising some more petting once he put his burdens down. 

“Hey,” he said, looking at Yuri with what he hoped was a friendly expression. “I’m Yuuri and––”

“We share a name and you’re a baker and my cousin is so far up your ass I’m surprised he can still breathe, bla, bla, bla. Whatever,” the kid cut in, rolling his eyes. “Now gimme the… holy shit?! Are those pirozhki?”

“Ah, yes,” Yuuri answered with a nervous chuckle, studiously avoiding Viktor’s eyes. “Viktor mentioned you like them, so I thought maybe it would help you feel better.”

“Oh my god! They look amazing! And the smell… ugh… gimme!” Yuri reached for the plates greedily dragging them before him. He sent a dark glare across the table, making Yuuri want to snicker. “Don’t even think about trying to touch any of the pirozhki. These are mine. You can starve to death for all I care, after the shit you put me through.” With that he grabbed a meat and cabbage filled bun and took a giant bite even as he whipped his phone out to take pictures of his food, his thumb flying over the screen.

Yuuri almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a light touch against his wrist, his head whipping in Viktor’s direction. “Thank you,” Viktor mouthed, the look in his eyes grateful. Yuuri pulled his wrist away from him and wrapped his fingers around Viktor’s hand, squeezing lightly.

_ You’re welcome _ .

The week had passed by faster than Yuuri expected it would, and soon it was time for Yuri to depart. In the past seven days, he had grown used to the boy’s antics and harshness, learning to look beyond the brash surface during the long hours Yuri spent in his shop, devouring whatever Yuuri put in front of him but still demanding to get at least half a dozen pirozhki a day. Under all the rude words and yelling, Yuuri found a caring, sweet boy who had a childish adoration to the simplest things, and he finally understood why Viktor was so indulgent with his cousin. 

(He also found it adorable how Yuri got all starry eyed around Otabek and how the young intern’s stoic mask always cracked around Yuri as well, despite all of Yuri’s vehement protests, not that he would ever mention it to Yuri or Viktor.) 

“Are you sure you don’t want us to accompany you?” Yuuri asked worriedly. He still remembered what Yuri had said when he first arrived about being mobbed. Yuri snorted.

“Forget it. I had to endure you guys flirting for an entire week. I definitely don’t want to have to hear or see that for another minute. And besides, Otabek would probably be more useful in protecting me than that lazy cousin of mine.” Yuri dismissed Yuuri’s concern with a nonchalant huff. He turned away, ready to leave, but in the last second he stopped and stalked up to Yuuri, invading his personal space with a serious look settling on his face. “Listen. My cousin here is an overdramatic dick who, frankly, is unworthy of you. Seriously. What do you see in him? I mean, he’s forgetful, flighty, selfish… You could do  _ so _ much better. However, you chose him, so you’d better be responsible. You had better treat him right and not hurt him and sure as hell not break his heart. And believe me, I’ll know when that’ll happen. And if it does happen, I’ll come and make you regret it,” Yuri growled, staring up at him with a promise of hell to pay if he even thought about hurting a strand of hair on Viktor’s head.

Yuuri could deny the implication that Viktor and him were a couple. He could refute Yuri and send him on his merry way, and maybe before everything he would have done it. Even in that moment the thought was tempting. Not because he did not want it to be true but because the doubt that he could be enough for Viktor was still there, and maybe always would be. But if anything, he had learned that living in fear and allowing his brain’s messed up chemicals to dictate his life was no way to build a future for himself. So, instead of stuttering out some lame excuse about only being friends with Viktor and undermining all the hard work to make Yuri respect him, he simply smiled and nodded his head.

He was done running.

Viktor, who was standing at Yuuri’s side, felt like dying of embarrassment. Correction. He  _ was _ dying of embarrassment. He could feel his face actually heating up! If only there were a shovel around. Then he could go and dig a hole, throw Yuri and himself in it before covering it up again, so as to never have to face Yuuri again. 

Yuuri, however, to his surprise, did not refute any of Yuri’s assumptions, instead accepting everything he had said, staring into the younger man’s eyes with resolve. 

“I have no intention of breaking Viktor’s heart. I will do everything in my power to make him happy. However,” and he paused, and Viktor was sure he was going to continue with a gentle denial of anything romantic going between them. Except that wasn’t what happened. “I cannot guarantee that I will not hurt Viktor unintentionally. But I promise that for every tear of sadness he sheds, I will make him smile with happiness to make it up to him.” At that point, Viktor was gobsmacked, and it was only his long years of experience as an actor that prevented him from having his jaw drop.

Yuri stared into Yuuri’s face for a long moment, gauging his sincerity, before relenting. He nodded his head once, signifying his acceptance.

“Good. I’m outta here. Your lovey-dovey bullshit makes me want to puke anyway. You put the romantic couples in films to shame, and those are meant to be dramatic! Which you should know Viktor, you played enough of them. You’re disgusting,” he scoffed before flipping them off and walking away, his good deed quota filled for the day. Or maybe the entire decade. Yuri thought back to the past week. Yup, definitely the entire decade.

 

It was finally quiet and peaceful, a welcoming sound after all the expletives and loud noises Yuri had spewed in the last week. There was also a sense of longing lingering in the air, however. It was obvious to Yuuri that Viktor was already missing his cousin and if Yuuri was honest, the shop felt strangely empty without the boy’s loud presence taking up all the space it could. 

“I… I want to show you something,” Yuuri said, touching Viktor’s arm softly to draw his attention away from the entrance. He tugged on his collar nervously with his free hand. The idea had been brewing at the back of his mind since Yuri’s arrival, but he had only succeeded in perfecting it the day before. Gesturing for Viktor to sit down, Yuuri hurried to the kitchen to put the finishing touches on his surprise. He worked fast, his hands steady as he used the piping bag and tempered the chocolate, all the while hoping it would actually work.

Now he only had to be brave enough to actually show it to Viktor as well. And then hope for the best.

Viktor was surprised. Yuuri wanted to show him… pirozhki? He shot a surprised look at Yuuri, but Yuuri was looking down at the floor, so he could not read his expression. Viktor frowned. Were the tips of his ears red? Distractedly, Viktor reached out to grab one and bit into it. His eyes widened in shock. Glancing down at it, what he saw confirmed his suspicions. 

“Yu… Yuuri. What.. This… This is…” Viktor was tripping over his words in his surprise. This was not like any piroshki he had tasted before. The filling, instead of being the typical savoury filling, such as meat or vegetables, or the sweet filling, which was normally fruits, was of a familiar taste, yet tasted foreign in Viktor’s mouth. Somehow, just somehow, Yuuri had managed to incorporate ptichye moloko into it. It was nothing short of amazing, and Viktor was tripping over himself to express that to Yuuri. 

“I… I wanted to make them to surprise you, as well as ask you something.” Yuuri took a deep breath. “Viktor, we’ve only known each other for a short time, but the time we spent together has been the happiest time in my life. I don’t know if you view me as anything other than a friend, but…” Yuuri bit his lips, trying to muster up the courage to continue. “But I truly do like you, and…” It was now or never, he had to say it. “Viktor, will you be my boyfriend?”

Viktor’s head was spinning. It was too good to be true. Tears started to prick the corners of Viktor’s eyes, but he did not care. He was too happy. He started to laugh weakly. 

“Oh Yuuri, you stole my thunder.” Viktor rubbed his eyes, trying to stop the tears. “I wanted to invite you out to a nice dinner, maybe some dancing, and then while we’re walking down the beach under the stars, I was going to ask you if you could see us together. I didn’t expect you to make the first move!”

“Is that a yes?”

“I… yes, yes… of course… oh!” Warm, dry lips pressed against his own, just a hint but so real, before they disappeared again, leaving behind a sweet aftertaste with a hint of milk and chocolate, as if Yuuri had tested the Ptichye Moloko before somehow magicking it into the pirozhki.

Viktor ran the tip of his tongue over his lips, chasing the taste, his eyes closed. When did he close them anyway? And where did Yuuri go? However, before he could find an answer to his questions, the sweet, sweet lips were back and he forgot any semi-rational thoughts still addling his mind.

He did not remember weaving his fingers into Yuuri’s hair or wrapping his arm around his waist, too lost in the sensation of their lips brushing and caressing each other, drugged by the slick, sensual slide of tongues. Yuuri’s closeness, his taste, his smell, all of it was simply too much, yet not enough. He was drowning and could not think of a more perfect way to go. Yet, before he could completely disappear and lose any semblance of reality, Yuuri pulled back with a weak sigh, his chest rising and falling in sync with Viktor’s, their hearts thundering as one against the cages of their ribs.

“Wow,” Yuuri breathed out. His breathing was ragged, and he was gulping in deep breaths. 

Viktor let out a carefree laugh and rested his forehead on Yuuri’s. “Wow indeed,” he echoed.

____________________________

 

##  Russian Piroshki (pirojki) with apples

###  Ingredients

####  **Ingredients for the Dough:**

  * 1½ Tbsp oil
  * 15 oz luke warm water
  * 4 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (divided)
  * 1 tsp salt
  * 1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast
  * 1 Tbsp sugar (omit sugar if doing meat or potato filling)
  * 2 to 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped finely (I use a food processor and pulse several times)
  * ¼ cup sugar (1/4 teaspoon per piroshok)



####  **Other Ingredients:**

  * Enough canola oil to go half-way up the side of the piroshky when frying.
  * Extra flour to dust the cutting board.



###  Instructions

####  **The easiest way to do this is in a bread maker.**

  1. If you have one, set it to the dough setting and add the ingredients in the following order: Oil, water, 2 cups flour, salt, sugar, 2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour* , yeast.
  2. A bread maker will do the following: mix, let dough rise, mix again and let the dough rise (about 1 to 1½ hours).
  3. Put the finished dough onto a well floured cutting board, sprinkle dough with flour and with well-floured hands, shape it into a large log. It will rise more as it sits on the board.
  4. Cut off pieces one at a time about ¾" thick. Place the piece of dough over your well-floured hand (dough will be sticky) and shape it into a 3" to 4" circle using your hands. Do not put flour on the side where you are going to put the apples, otherwise the sides won't seal.
  5. Put ¼ tsp sugar in the center of the dough and put 1 heaping Tbsp of apple over the sugar. cover the apple with the sides of the dough and pinch the ends together with your fingers to seal the dough together. Flatten the pirojki slightly to make them a more uniform size.
  6. Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan. There should be enough oil to cover the pirojki half-way up the side.
  7. Place them in the hot oil (about 330°F) and fry until deep golden brown on each side. They should sizzle when you put them in the oil. Sometimes they puff up a lot on one side so you may end up with a third side that needs to be fried.



Source: http://natashaskitchen.com/2010/03/03/russian-piroshki-pirojki-with-apples/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're on tumblr if you want to talk to us!  
> yuurinomahouteki.tumblr.com  
> mangaxotomelover.tumblr.com


	5. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victuuri Week: Day 5  
> Prompt:   
> **Victor: Anniversaries**  
>  Yuuri: Family  
> AU: Crossovers
> 
> Yuuri and Viktor's six month anniversary doesn't go as Viktor imagined it would, but maybe it's for the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just thank you. And also the rating has been changed to M for a reason.

Viktor had to stop reading women’s magazines because they were giving him a complex.

It was his six-month anniversary or  mensiversary if he could believe the newest issue of  _ Cosmopolitan _ with Yuuri and Viktor wanted to surprise him. In reality, it was six months since they had first met, but to Viktor it was an event worth just as much as the day Yuuri first kissed him and asked him to be his boyfriend. So, of course, he wanted the night to go perfectly, especially because he had only been back to Hasetsu for a week and he missed Yuuri in the past month since he had been away to finish filming his latest movie back in the States.  

But what was a suitable gift for the love of his life? If he believed  _ Cosmo _ then something shiny but meaningful was the way to go. He wanted to chuck the useless piece of trash out of the nearest window, because he just knew that neither a brill covered ring or any fancy would work with Yuuri. Even if he had their initials engraved into it. Initially, he had thought about taking Yuuri on a vacation or ask him to move in with him, but the first option was out before he could even form an idea about where to go because Yuuri got an order for a five tier wedding cake that weekend. And the second was pretty moot anyway, considering Viktor had been already sort of living with Yuuri for the last week. He felt hopeless as he sent another glare at the glossy cover of the magazine and pushed it further away from himself.   

He wanted to get Yuuri something meaningful. Something that would express his gratitude and how deep his feelings ran. Something… something special. However, he could think of nothing good enough for Yuuri. He could get flowers, at least he knew Yuuri liked them, but Viktor did not feel it was enough. It would be silly to buy a cake for Yuuri, too, so that option was out as well. Sighing, he let his head fall onto the table. Hiroko, who was cleaning the table next to him, instantly went over to see what the problem was.

“I don’t know what to do.” Viktor peeked up at her through the fringe covering most of his face, trying to convey his misery. “Yuuri deserves the world and here I am with no idea what to get him,” he whined pitifully, fully aware that he was being pathetic.

Hiroko clucked her tongue and patted his head gently in consolation.

“Hm,” she hummed as she pondered over the matter. “Why not try making him some mochi? It was the first thing I ever gave to Yuuri’s dad and he loved it. It’s relatively simple to make, and it would be a nice gesture, especially since it’s Yuuri’s favorite local sweet. You can use our kitchen to keep it a secret,” she offered. Viktor’s head shot up, and he grasped her hands, thanking her profusely. 

An hour later, standing in Yu-Topia’s massive kitchen, with ingredients scattered across the counter in front of him and Hiroko’s trusted recipe translated to English taped to the wall, Viktor thought, ‘ _ How hard can this be? _ ’   


As it turned out very.

Three and a half hours. That was how long it took for him to spit his last attempt at mochi into the bin and admit that he had no idea what was going on.

What he know was that he messed up. He most definitely messed up big time. How? How did this happen? He followed the instructions down to the very dots of the ‘i’s! It should have worked, yet here he was, standing in the midst of a war zone with Yuuri due to get off work any minute. And then he would go home and found his apartment empty and Viktor was still stuck here with nothing to show. He glared at the failed mixture in the bowl murderously, blaming it for everything that went wrong. It simply lay in the bottom of the bowl, pathetic just like him. 

Sighing, he dejectedly pushed the bowl away. This was his third try, but clearly the saying ‘third time’s the charm’ did not hold true for him. The first time, he had undercooked the mixture, resulting in a terrible mess he had yet to clean up. The second, he had overcooked it instead and the mess it left was better off unseen. If throwing a huge wad of paper towels on it could be called as such. This time… Well, he did not know what had happened but it tasted terrible. Bad enough that Viktor actually contemplated pouring some liquid soap into his mouth to wash the taste away. But more than anything he wanted to cry. His surprise for Yuuri had failed. Miserably. 

And because his life wasn’t bad enough, just a moment later a familiar voice rang out, “I’m home!” 

Viktor uttered out a low curse. Of all the days Yuuri decided to visit his parents it had to be today. “Where’s everyone?” The voice got louder and footsteps approached the kitchen. Yuuri soon appeared at the doorway, his large brown eyes widening at the sight of the exploded minefield the kitchen had turned into, his bag dropping from his nerveless fingers onto the floor.

“Uh… Surprise?”  

To say he was surprised would be like saying that Viktor was a little sensitive about his hair. Yuuri squinted at the scene before him. It looked as though a hurricane had swept through the kitchen with Viktor as its center point. Flour was spread all over the floor, decorated with dark slipper prints and splatters of milk. Dirty pots and pans littered the kitchen counters and there was suspiciously large pile of paper towels towering in one corner. Yuuri felt dizzy. 

“Do I want to know?” he managed to get out, already knowing that the answer was probably no. But whatever Viktor had been up to, had to have been an idea born out of goodwill and kindness, no matter how hare brained that idea was. And Viktor looked so sad, his blue eyes gleaming with misery that Yuuri didn’t have the heart to say anything more.

“Sorry, Yuuri,” Viktor muttered, his gaze dropping to the floor. “I wanted to surprise you for our six month anniversary, but…” He gestured to the mess around him as a means of explanation. 

Yuuri’s eyebrows furrowed. “Viktor, our six month anniversary is ages away.”

Viktor shook his head, mouth twisting. “Not that six month anniversary, no. Today marks the sixth month since I walked into your cafe and fell head over heels with you. I wanted to do something to show how much I love you and how grateful I am to have you in my life, and Hiroko suggested I make you mochi. But it’s so difficult to make,” Viktor groaned, his voice breaking like he was fighting off his tears. 

“Oh,” Yuuri breathed, stepping up to Viktor and winding his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. He rested his chin on Viktor’s collarbone with a little nudge, placing his lips only a hair breadth away from Viktor’s mouth. “It’s fine,” he whispered, pressing his hands to Viktor’s face, thumbs rubbing soothing circles. “It’s the thought that counts.” He closed the distance between them, pouring his gratitude and love into the sweet, languid kiss. Viktor groaned into his mouth, opening his lips and allowing Yuuri to deepen the kiss, his tongue rolling sinuously against Yuuri’s. Yuuri hummed in appreciation, allowing his hands to slide down Viktor’s neck to his chest, brushing the deliciously sensitive nubs of his nipples. Viktor moaned shamelessly, pressing even closer to Yuuri and pushing his fingers into Yuuri’s hair.

A large hand found its way onto Yuuri’s butt, now familiar fingers rubbing and caressing him through his pants, causing Yuuri to let out a moan of his own. He could feel Viktor’s desire through the thin fabric of his trousers, its hot hardness pressing against his stomach and making Yuuri wish they were back home, alone. Unfortunately, they were standing in the middle of his parents’ kitchen where anyone could walk in on them, leaving him no choice but to pull back with a last peck and a promising tweak to Viktor’s nipples, his face stretched around a wide, satisfied smile.

“Come!” he said, loving the dazed look on Viktor’s face. He pulled on an apron and tugged on Viktor’s hand, licking his lips to chase Viktor’s taste on his lips and to tease his boyfriend a little more. “Let’s clean this up, and then we’ll make it together!” His smile widened into a full blown grin when he heard Viktor’s frustrated groan. 

He just knew that by the time they got home, reaching their bed would not be an option.

Viktor panted, his head thrown back against the front door of Yuuri’s apartment, and his eyes screwed shut as a tidal wave of sensation crashed over him, nearly bowing his spine backwards from the intensity of it. His fingers were clenched around the silky tresses of Yuuri’s hair, and he was sure he was about to die from the sheer pleasure of Yuuri’s hot, wet mouth showing no mercy in its quest to find every sensitive spot on his cock. 

What happened to the sweet, timid man he had met six months ago? Because the bewitching demon between his legs could not be the same Yuuri who had got embarrassed over the smallest things. Then again, Yuuri had the ability to turn his life upside down and surprise him even when Viktor thought he knew everything about him. This entirely new, almost dominant side of Yuuri was just another proof of that.

He opened his mouth, ready to tell Yuuri how amazing he was, but his thoughts scattered and he could only manage a weak whine because Yuuri pressed the tip of his tongue into his slip and sucked, hard. His hips rocked forward, pushing him unintentionally deeper into Yuuri’s mouth and the hint of teeth scraping against his over sensitized skin somehow flicked something off in his brain because the next moments Viktor was gone, his whine turning into a cry of ecstasy. His vision whited out and he had no chance to warn Yuuri before he was coming, harder than he ever had before. 

“I…” That was all he could get out. He had no idea what to say, his lungs struggling to remember how to take in air while his brain tried to reboot from the fatal crash it just endured. He wanted… no he needed to see Yuuri, to touch him, to show his adoration––if only his eyes worked properly.

“Hm…” Yuuri hummed, his lips brushing against Viktor’s left hipbone tenderly. “Viktor.”

Viktor forced his eyes open, his barely rapidly moving chest freezing immediately at the breathtaking sight Yuuri was making. His hand slid out of Yuuri’s hair and slipped down to his chin, thumb swiping against Yuuri’s swollen, shiny lower lip. “Y… You’re amazing,” he croaked, moaning when Yuuri sucked his finger into his mouth.

“We’re not done yet,” Yuuri said, his voice purring. He linked his fingers with Viktor’s, then rose to his feet, dark eyes shining mischievously as he started backing away from Viktor, pulling him by his hand. 

“Amazing…” Viktor breathed, stumbling after Yuuri, mesmerized by his love’s thrall. His heart, barely calmed down, was racing again, its heavy thumps resonating in his ribs. He had to swallow around the dryness in his throat, yet his focus did not falter from Yuuri’s lips that kept on moving, seducing him with honeyed words.

“You are absolutely perfect, Viktor. Beautiful, kind-hearted, sweet, always trying to do your best, wanting to make me happy. I adore you, Vitya and I can’t wait to have you laid out under me, writhing in pleasure, forgetting everything but my name. You have no idea what you do to me, and to know you worked so hard to prepare those mochi for me… it made me love you even more.” 

“I adore you, too, Yuuri,” Viktor gasped out and allowed himself to be gently pushed onto the bed. He looked up at Yuuri, watching as his slim body slowly crawled over him, just shy on brushing against Viktor’s exposed stomach and hips. He wanted to ask him to help him out of his clothes, and to shed his own as well, the idea of feeling Yuuri’s soft, naked skin against his own, enough to rekindle the flame simmering in him into a blazing inferno.

Yuuri watched him in turn, eyes hooded and filled with dark, scorching secrets, making Viktor eager to please Yuuri as much as Yuuri had been pleasing him. He bared his neck in a show of surrender and welcomed Yuuri’s lips with an eager sigh, already knowing that Yuuri would surpass even his wildest expectations.

  
  


“Yuuri, I’m really sorry,” Viktor apologised again, soft and languid. “But I couldn’t imagine a better response to my gift even if I had actually managed to make the mochi on my own.”

Yuuri laughed, just as relaxed, and brought a mochi to Viktor’s mouth, wiping away the soft, sweet crumbs from his lower lip with his tongue. They were currently lounging on what Yuuri had started calling  _ their _ bed in  _ their _ bedroom in what hopefully would become Viktor’s home soon as well, but for now was Yuuri’s apartment above  _ Agape & Eros _ . They had a plate of the mochi they made together on the bedside table as they watched a movie on the screen of the television that Viktor had bought just before he came back to Hasetsu. According to him, he initially wanted to have the one he had in his Los Angeles apartment shipped over, but Yuri had threatened bloody murder if he touched it, so in the end he bought a new one despite Yuuri’s protests. Now, a week later, Yuuri was ready to admit that it had been a great decision.

“I don’t mind.” Yuuri smiled, nuzzling his nose against Viktor’s cheek and earning a happy little laugh in turn. “You always seem so perfect, so to see you stumped by something… it showed me a new side of you. I couldn’t help but be… ah, inspired,” he said, nipping at Viktor’s chin, who in reply tightened his hold around Yuuri’s waist and dipped his head to kiss the last bite of mochi off Yuuri’s lips. 

Yuuri felt light, happy and free. Viktor brought an entirely new side out of him, and Yuuri loved him for it. Just like he loved Viktor for being so patient and accepting, always meeting him halfway, adapting to his needs yet not afraid to show his own ones. Sometimes it was still hard to believe that such a great man actually had chosen him, dime a dozen pastry chef Katsuki Yuuri, but with each day he spent waking up to and sleeping next to Viktor it became easier to accept, it was actually real.

He smiled into the kiss, breaking it but not pulling back. “Also,” he murmured against Viktor’s lips, “it gave us a chance to spend time together doing something I liked. Well… multiple things I liked.”  They shared another soft kiss, eyes locked. “But like I said, I could see the effort you put into making me something I loved, and that’s all that matters to me.” 

“And all that matters to me is that you’re happy,” Viktor answered, caressing Yuuri’s face, his expression showing nothing but sincerity. “Thank you for choosing me despite all my flaws.”

“Thank you for choosing me.” Yuuri planted a chaste kiss on Viktor’s jaw and snuggled into the man’s chest. “And Viktor?”

“Hm?”

“I chose you with all your flaws and not despite of them.”

___________________________

###  Red Bean Mochi

**Ingredients**

  * 220 gm glutinous rice flour
  * 110 gm sugar
  * 200 ml coconut milk (or milk)
  * desiccated coconut (or fried glutinous rice flour) to coat mochi



**Red bean paste ingredients:**

  * 1/2 cup red beans
  * 1 1/2 cup water
  * rock sugar to taste



**Method:**

  1. Combine glutinous rice flour with sugar well. Gradually stir in coconut milk (or milk) until smooth.
  2. Transfer flour mixture in a greased shallow plate (see picture 1), steam over high heat with cover for 30 minutes, or until cooked through (see picture 2). Use a chop stick to test if it’s cooked. If not much flour mixture sticks to the chop stick, it’s done. Let cool down a bit until you don’t feel too hot to handle.
  3. Transfer to a greased surface. Cut into 12 even small portions. Knead each into a small disc. Spoon red bean paste in the middle (see picture 3). Fold the edge to seal the mochi. Lightly roll it into a ball shape using both palms, then coat with desiccated coconut. The alternative way to coat mochi is to use cooked glutinous rice flour. Fry some extra glutinous rice flour on a non-stick frying-pan over medium-low heat without any oil. Let it cook for 3 minutes until aromatic. Don’t let it burn by all means. After the cooked flour cools down a bit, you can use it to coat mochi.



**How to make red bean paste:**

  1. Rinse red beans and soak for 3 hours. Drain well. Add red beans in boiling water to cook over medium-low heat with cover until soften. The proportion of red beans and water I usually follow is 1:3, and cook over my electric ceramic stove. When all the water is vaporized, the red beans are cooked, resulting with very soft texture, yet sustaining the whole shape of red bean. I just love this kind of red bean paste, not too hard but not too soggy.
  2. While half the water is gone, add rock sugar to taste. When it’s almost done, taste by yourself to adjust the sweetness of the red bean paste. Add some raw sugar to adjust the sweetness if needed.



 

Tips:

  1. The plate you use to steam glutinous rice flour should be big and shallow. Spread flour mixture thin in it. Otherwise it takes forever to be cooked through.
  2. Glutinous rice flour is pretty sticky in its own nature even when is cooked. If the flour is steamed for enough time, it’s all right even though it still sticks to your chopstick a bit. If you don’t taste any uncooked-flour flavour, it’s cooked and can use it to wrap fillings.



  
  
  
  
  
  


Source:  [ http://en.christinesrecipes.com/2009/05/red-bean-mochi-recipe.html ](http://en.christinesrecipes.com/2009/05/red-bean-mochi-recipe.html)

 


	6. Fashion on Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victuuri Week: Day 6  
> Prompts:  
>  **Victor: Communication  
>  Yuuri: Proposals  
> AU: Soulmates, **
> 
> Christophe has a request. Yuuri has fears. Viktor has yet another secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are everything and beyond a writer could ask for. Thank you. Just thank you for your support and response to this story. We're almost at the end, but this journey has been amazing. Hopefully, you won't be disappointed this time either.

“Yuuri, mon cherie!” a loud voice boomed in the phone. Yuuri laughed in response. It was always nice to hear back from his friends. “How are you doing? And how is that foxy actor of yours?”

“Christophe, everything is good,” Yuuri sad, fondness coloring his tone. Christophe was an eccentric man but his heart was pure gold and no one could dance like he did. “What about you?”

“Well…” Christophe drawled, pausing for dramatic effect. “I’m about to propose to my darling!”

“Oh, congratulations! I’m happy to hear things are going so great for you and Stéphane.” Yuuri wished they were talking on Skype to see Christophe’s love sick smile that always appeared on his face when he was talking about his boyfriend. Well, soon to be fiance, hopefully. “Do you have everything prepared?”

“Ah, that’s just the thing,” Christophe chuckled and Yuuri could practically see him rub the back of his head in feigned embarrassment. “We’re visiting Japan next week for Fashion on Ice. Stéphane is performing.”

“Oh, I think Viktor mentioned something about being invited as well. As the first promotional event of his new movie or something like that.”

“I hope he’s taking you as his date.” Christophe still sounded cheerful as ever, but there was a layer of threat underneath the jovial tone. Yuuri felt his chest fill with warmth over his friend’s protectiveness.

“He did ask, but…”

“Come on, my dear, don’t tell me you said no.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to go,” Yuuri protested, but it sounded weak even to his ears. He closed his eyes and rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out how to explain all his hang ups without coming across like a complete loser. “I’m just not good with crowds.”

“So what? You can’t let fear dictate your actions,” Christophe replied, his gently chiding tone bringing back old memories. “Your lover wants to show you off to the world and show you the art he makes. You cannot let such a gracious offer got to waste.”

“Chris––”

“Also, you have to be there because I may or may not have a favor to ask,” Christophe pushed on, not letting Yuuri to get out more than his name.

Yuuri huffed out a strained laugh. He knew he couldn’t win and he had been only deluding himself with stalling to give Viktor an answer. Yes, he was a coward and his anxiety was not the best accessory to take to a publicity event. His past experiences with participating in the Culinary Olympics and other international pastry competitions were proof enough of that. The memory of his last time at the ICO still left him with cold dread coiling in the pit of his stomach whenever someone brought the issue up. Christophe should have understood it, he had been there after all, participating in the Culinary Art event and later taking the trophy home. He had had front row seat to Yuuri’s epic crash and burn, yet here he was across the line and telling Yuuri that he needed to man up and be there for Viktor.

And he was right.

“Yuuri?”

“I’m here. I was just thinking about what you said, sorry.”

“And?”

“What’s the favor you need?”

“I want to commission you to make a cake for me. Well, for my proposal really.”

The thing with Viktor and attending a fashion show as his date was instantly forgotten, Yuuri’s sole focus on Christophe’s next words. His mind was already in planning mode, coming up with different ideas that would complement Christophe’s personality and the importance of the event every passing second. He knew he was hooked even without hearing what Christophe had in mind, and Christophe had to know it, too. And wasn’t he just a devious bastard?

Yuuri shook his head, his lips turning up at the corners. It was typical Christophe. “I’ll have to hear your ideas first before agreeing.”

“Oh, mon cherie, you will love my idea, I can assure you.” Yuuri could hear the smug smirk in Christophe’s voice even from over nine thousand kilometers away.

“I’ll be the judge of that if you don’t mind.”

“No need to pout, Yuuri, you said you wanted to go to the show anyway you were just being a wuss. I’m simply giving you incentive to get off your shapely butt,” Christophe purred, causing Yuuri to groan at the cheesiness of his words. “Now, want to hear what I have in mind?”

“I still don’t take commissions with body fluids,” Yuuri sniped, smirking when Christophe whined in return.

“That was one time! One time ages ago and I was drunk! Blind drunk!”

“Makes one wonder how you managed to get someone as sweet as Stéphane to agree to go out with you,” Yuuri went on, enjoying the familiar back and forth. He missed Christophe and his shameless honesty. During their time together at Cordon Bleu in Paris, Yuuri had had the chance to learn that Christophe never shied away from shoving him face first into his problems. He had never tried to shield Yuuri from anything no matter how bad it was, and while Phichit was the same, Chris had a flavor of shrewdness to him that just tended to drive the ugly truths deeper and forced Yuuri to face his issues on his own.

“Stéphane is an angel who had taken one look at my shining grace and known that we are soulmates,” Christophe said loftily and Yuuri just had to roll his eyes.

“I’m sure that was how it happened.”

“Think what you want, a mortal like you could never understand the ethereal love that connects two–– Daaarling! You’re home early!” And then Christophe was babbling in French, faster than Yuuri’s rusty skills allowed him to follow. He still managed to catch his own name and a muffled voice that sounded like Stéphane saying hello, but he didn’t get the chance to get a word out in answer because Christophe was back, his voice in a distinctively higher register than before. “Stéphane sends his love, mon cher, and I’ll send you an email with the details of _the_ _show_ later if that’s okay with you.”

“I––”

“Okay? Great! Bye!”

“I still haven’t said I’m going to do it,” Yuuri muttered, staring at the faded selfie Christophe had taken for his caller id picture. His bright smile looked decidedly mocking before it disappeared and the screen went dark. 

Yuuri sighed in defeated. Who was he kidding? He had accepted the commission the moment the word left Christophe’s mouth. Now if only he could be so ready to walk on the red carpet with Viktor...

Yuuri was staring at his laptop screen, his mind turning over the request. It was unusual –– not unexpected, it was Christophe after all –– but the novelty of it made Yuuri’s blood sing. He smiled, excited and brimming with anticipation. He already had his sketch book out in front of him and his favorite sketching pencil in hand, doodling absentmindedly while he was watching Stéphane glide and spin on the ice with the grace of a god. There was no question that he was awe inspiring, and Yuuri could understand how Christophe had fallen head over heels for this man in the matter of seconds.

“Hmm… Should I be jealous?” a voice breathed against the shell of his ear, causing Yuuri to jump and squeak, nearly headbutting Viktor in his fright.

“Viktor!”

Viktor’s smile was slow and promised nothing good. “Now I’m really starting to think that I should be jealous…”

“Wha––? No! Nononono!” Yuuri protested, shaking his head wildly. “This is for work.”

“Watching a half-naked man writhe on ice is part of the baking process? Hmm, maybe I should think about changing my profession.” Viktor sneaked his arms around Yuuri’s chest and rested his chin on Yuuri’s shoulder, his hair tickling Yuuri’s face. “But I have to admit, I would love to see you in something like this. Your mother told me you used to skate, too.”

“I was a kid!” Yuuri argued, feelings his cheeks warm up. “And I was nothing special. Certainly nothing like Stéphane.”

“Oh you’re on first name basis?” And now Viktor’s tone was much less amused.

“Yes, we are,” Yuuri said innocently, a part of him loving to rile Viktor up. “He’s a really sweet ma–– mmpf!” Suddenly, his head was turned to the side and he was kissed to the inch of his life, Viktor’s tongue demanding in its quest to thoroughly claim him all over again, as if just seeing another man could be enough to make Yuuri forget Viktor.

Yuuri wound one of his hands into Viktor’s hair, moaning into the kiss and opening up for more. He allowed the heady scent of Viktor to fill his senses and send his mind into a dizzying spiral, where everything bursted into millions of color splattered stars behind his eyes. He kissed back just as hotly, sucking on Viktor’s tongue, driven by the fever burning through his veins. He had no idea how Viktor could have such impossible influence on him, making him lose all sense of propriety and reality just with a single kiss, but Yuuri was ready to never regain his control over himself if it meant that Viktor would keep staying close to him, showering him with his attention, his kisses.

“So, Stéphane?” Viktor murmured against Yuuri’s lips, breaking their kiss.

“Yes,” Yuuri whispered back. “One of my friend’s lover. Soon fiance.” He frowned, his eyes still closed. His words sounded funny to his ear, but they seemed to be fine to Viktor because he smiled and kissed Yuuri again, turning him around with his chair and pushing between his legs to be able to kneel before him.

“Good. I wouldn’t want to ruin such a talented man’s life just because he tried to take you away from me,” Viktor purred, nuzzling his lips into Yuuri’s neck, causing him to arch it for better access.

“Ah… no need…” he gasped. “Just you. Only you.”

“Good.”

Yuuri was alone in his shop’s kitchen, the bakery closed for the day. He needed to start working on Christophe’s request. This was not his first time someone commissioned him for an engagement cake, but it did not diminish the excitement he felt. After all, no two proposals were the same, and no two requested cakes were identical. The requested design was relatively simple, but unusual, which suited Christophe’s and hopefully soon-to-be fiance’s tastes. The cake itself was to be a simple chocolate cake with strawberry and vanilla buttercream filling and decorated to incorporate both Cristophe’s and Stéphane’s personalities. The topping however had to be shaped as a ring box that could be opened like a real one while still remain edible. 

This was the first time he had such a unique request, and Yuuri was excited for the challenge it posed.

As he went through the motions of whisking the mixture, his mind drifted. The proposal had provided him fuel for daydreaming about his future with Viktor. A smile unconsciously graced his lips as he imagined them living together for more than a few weeks at time. Makkachin and Vichan would be with them, of course, and he could almost picture their mornings, with Viktor waking Yuuri up at god forsaken hours on his off days, them strolling about while walking their dogs in the evenings, then Yuuri feeding Viktor his dessert of the day before they would lounge about, enjoying each other's company. It was a lovely thought. 

He sighed, his mood souring at the realization that his thoughts were mere dreams, and would be nothing more for the foreseeable future. He did not know what would happen with them after the promotional tour for Viktor’s movie picked up. Viktor would not be in Hasetsu forever, Yuuri was aware of that. The first event was only four days away, and the only reason Viktor was still with him was because his contract needed him to be in Japan. But after the fashion show was done and over with Viktor would depart as well, and would be relocated to the next location for the next movie. And even if he were to not be starring in a movie, would Viktor be willing to stay in Hasetsu? Surely he would be homesick, and would rather return home to his life. 

Doubts started to seep into Yuuri’s mind. Would their relationship survive? Sure, Viktor had come back to him right away after he finished shooting and they had spent the past month in absolute bliss. But Yuuri knew it was only temporary. And after that they would need to do their best to stay in contact, to keep their relationship alive… from afar. He had heard countless tales where loving couples attempted long-distance relationships to grow apart and eventually break up. Yuuri did not want that. But what other choice would they have? Yuuri could not simply just uproot his career and life to follow Viktor wherever he went, and he could not ask Viktor to give up his career and  stay in Hasetsu with him. Sighing, Yuuri returned his focus to the task at hand, promising that he would talk to Viktor about this later. 

Probably.

 

Viktor was not blind. Sure, he was a bit clueless and flighty at times, but he could still see that something was bothering Yuuri, despite all his protests. He knew Yuuri well, and knew that Yuuri could be stubborn and bottle things up in order to avoid thinking about them, just like he knew that eventually, the bottle would overflow and Yuuri would broach the subject because he couldn’t keep it in anymore.

As it turned out that moment came sooner than Viktor had expected. They were lounging on the sofa after dinner, with Yuuri’s head resting in Viktor’s lap and their sweet dogs curled up by their feet, snoozing. Viktor was watching the evening news and trying to catch a few words while Yuuri was playing on his phone, seemingly content. Or so Viktor thought.

“Viktor.”

Viktor hummed. “Yes, lyubov moya?” He was currently running his hand through Yuuri’s hair, admiring the softness of it.

“How do you see this relationship going?” Yuuri asked quietly. 

Viktor’s hand stilled. Why was Yuuri asking that question? Was he unhappy? Did Viktor do something? Had something happened? 

Pushing his hand gently away, Yuuri slowly sat up to look him in the eye. Yuuri’s gaze comforted Viktor slightly, shaking him out of his internal panicking, albeit only slightly. Yuuri’s expression was cautious and slightly worried, but his eyes were soft and he did not look like was about to break up with Viktor. 

“Why do you ask that? Did something happen? Someone said something?” Viktor swore that if this was due to some random article he didn’t even know about, he would hunt down the person responsible for it and ensure he would pay the price of making Yuuri suffer.

Yuuri sighed, running his hand through his hair. “No, nothing of that sort. It’s just that, while I was baking today, it dawned on me that you would be leaving Hasetsu soon. You don’t exactly live here, after all. You’re only here for a few more days then you have to leave probably. And I get it. You’re an actor and your job is demanding. You have to travel a lot and don’t have time for much. And I do love you very much, but I can’t exactly drop everything to follow you. So I just wanted to know, where do you see this relationship going? Will it be a long-distance one?”

Viktor sighed in relief. Oh. So that was what Yuuri meant. 

“Yuuri, do you trust me?”

Yuuri blinked at Viktor owlishly. 

“Of course I do. But what––”

Viktor gently laid a finger against Yuuri’s lips, effectively cutting him off. “Then trust in this relationship as well. I love you Yuuri, and while neither of us can guarantee what the future holds, know that I will always return to you.”

Yuuri stared at Viktor silently before breaking into a relieved smile. Nodding silently, he laid back down, burrowing his face into Viktor’s stomach, his arm curling around Viktor’s back squeezing tightly.

With Yuuri snuggling into him, contentment radiating off him, Viktor silently mulled over their conversation. Truth be told, he did have a plan, but it was not yet settled. And after all, what was Viktor without his surprises?

Four days later, only an hour after he and hundreds of other highly esteemed guests watched as Yuuri’s friend proposed to the love of his life in the middle of the ice stage, Viktor was sitting behind a long table in a conference room, next to his co-stars and smile in the cameras and at the gathered audience but his eyes only saw Yuuri in the back of the room, watching him with a small, proud smile. He was absolutely stunning in the suit Viktor had chosen for him, and Viktor couldn’t wait to get back to their hotel room and get him out of it.

Provided Yuuri would be still talking to him for keeping him in the dark. Again.

The press conference was nothing he hadn’t done before hundreds if not thousands of times. Reporters always asked the same questions, most of the times not even bothering to dress them up differently. It was an automatic process he found no interest in but saw as part of the job.

“Mr. Nikiforov, you did part of the skating routines in the movie,” one of the reporters said, trying to catch Viktor’s attention. Viktor flicked his gaze to the man to show him he was listening before he subtly looked back at Yuuri. “Did you find learning the step sequences and spins easy?”

“Goodnes, no!” He offered a wide, million watt smile, earning giggles and chuckles from the audience. “My skating skills before this film were no better than a complete novice’s. I could glide forward and a bit backward as well, but that was it. It took me months of rigorous practice to learn not to fell on my butt, about to pass out after the easiest of spins. I’ll never be able to do jumps, nothing like you will see in the movie, but I learned a lot from my coaches and I’m grateful I had the chance to participate in telling such a deep, touching story.”

The reporters ate up his words, asking a few more standard questions before turning to the director and his co-stars. He knew that he wasn’t done yet, and he was right. There was always a reporter that was after some juicy story that had nothing to do with the movie, and it was no different this time either. The woman was dressed sharp but her looks had nothing on her cutting smile as she stood up, taking the microphone from one of the attendants.

“Mr. Nikiforov,” she started, “my sources say you have no other projects lined up for the foreseeable future. Is it true?”

His moment had come.

He looked straight into Yuuri’s eyes and replied, “Yes. I decided to take off some time from filming.”

The chaos breaking out in the room was instantaneous but Viktor barely noticed any of it, his focus solely on Yuuri and his beautiful brown eyes that were wide as saucers. He had his hands in front of his mouth, and Viktor got worried that he messed everything up again, but then Yuuri dropped his hands and he was smiling. Smiling wide, happy and breathtaking. 

Viktor wished he was across the room to pull him close and taste his happiness. Instead, he forced his eyes to look at the reporter who helped him make his confession and said, “That’s all I wish to say on the matter. Thank you.”

 

____________________

**Raw Marbled Chocolate Strawberry Cake**

Makes one 2 layer 8 inch cake

Cake:

  * 2 1/2 cups [raw sprouted buckwheat or quinoa flour](http://www.fragrantvanilla.com/p/helpful-things-for-recipes-on-this-blog.html)
  * 1 cup ground raw flaxseed
  * 4 cups raw [coconut flour](http://www.fragrantvanilla.com/p/helpful-things-for-recipes-on-this-blog.html) (do NOT use store-bought!)1/2 tsp sea salt
  * 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
  * 2 cups chopped red beets
  * 1 cup medjool dates, pitted (soaked in filtered water for 30 minutes if not soft, then drained)
  * 2/3 cup raw coconut nectar or your choice of liquid sweetener
  * 1 cup filtered water (or as needed)
  * 1 cup pureed organic strawberries
  * 3/4 cup raw cacao powder



 

Chocolate Frosting:

  * 2 1/2 cup diced ripe avocadoes (about 6 medium)
  * 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar, or your choice of raw liquid sweetener
  * 1/4 tsp sea salt
  * 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
  * 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
  * 1/4 cup raw [coconut butter](http://www.fragrantvanilla.com/p/helpful-things-for-recipes-on-this-blog.html), liquefied
  * 1 cup halved organic strawberries, plus sliced berries for the top of the cake



 

For the cake, combine flour,  flaxseed, coconut flour, sea salt, in a large bowl and whisk together until and set aside. To a food processor, add the dates, vanilla, beets, nectar, strawberries, and water to the processor and process until pretty smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth with a sturdy spoon (wooden works well) and well incorporated (the batter will be stiff, so you might want to use your stand mixer if you have one, and if it seems too dry add a little more filtered water (since the water content in the ingredients used here may vary).  It should be the consistency of thick brownie batter).  Remove half the batter, and set aside in another bowl. To the remaining batter in the bowl, add the cacao powder and mix until very well combined.  Using a 8 inch cake pan lined with plastic wrap, drop 1/2 the chocolate batter randomly into it, then half the plain strawberry batter.  Smooth the top, then invert onto a lined dehydrator tray. Shape it and smooth it so that it is an even cake layer (it is alright if you spread the top and sides a little, those parts won't show as much as the middle when you cut into it).  Repeat with the rest of the batter for another round.  Dry the cakes for about 12-14 hours (until dry on the outside but still moist). Trim the cakes so they are perfect matching circles.  Cool completely.  

Meanwhile, to make the chocolate frosting, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. 

To assemble the cake, place one layer on a plate. Arrange the halved berries over that, then spread about 1 cup of the frosting over it, place in the freezer and let chill until it is set, about 45 minutes (this makes it easier to frost the rest so it doesn't move around and ooze).  When it is chilled place the other cake layer over it, and spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing well.  Place the remaining filling in a pastry bag, and Pipe around the top of the cake. Top with sliced berries. Serve! Store any leftover cake in the fridge.

 

Source: http://www.fragrantvanilla.com/raw-marbled-chocolate-strawberry-cake/ 


	7. Hasetsu Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victuuri week: Day 7  
>  **Victor: Promises  
>  Yuuri: Memories/Moments**  
> AU: Mythos
> 
>  
> 
> Yuuri goes down on memory lane as he prepares a special surprise for Viktor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end, only one chapter to go. Thank you for joining us on this journey and being so supportive of this little story. You guys are incredible!

He was going to do this. It would be perfect. He was ready. They were ready. 

He hoped.

Yuuri was nervous and he had every right to be. He had been planning this day for the past two months, and it was getting harder by the minute not to spill the beans to Viktor. His acting skills had always been abysmal and with the growing frequency of Viktor’s suspicious looks and not so innocent questions, it was obvious that Viktor knew something was up. He tried to be nonchalant about it, putting on his best mask of cheerful cluelessness, but just like Viktor knew him, Yuuri knew Viktor as well. And he knew that Viktor was like a bloodhound when it came to secrets, not backing down until he got to the core of it and unearthed every little detail to satisfy his curiosity.

Not this time.

Yuuri was determined to keep his plans under wrap until the last moment. He was about to take the biggest step in their relationship and it  _ had _ to be perfect. He was going to propose to Viktor, and had chosen the perfect day. As a not so closet romantic, he had decided to pop the question on the very day he had met Viktor a year ago and absolutely refused to allow anything to ruin it. Even if his boyfriend kept sending him confused, kicked puppy looks whenever his  _ subtle _ digging missed its mark. 

So far, Yuuri had managed to distract Viktor with lingering kisses and decadent sweets, but he knew that would not hold up for much longer. Luckily, he had managed to convince Phichit to fly over and distract Viktor, bribing him with promises to allow him to video the proposal, be the best man at the wedding ( _ “Viktor has to say yes first, but if he does––” “Of course he will say yes. He would be stupid not to!”) _ , as well as be the unofficial wedding photographer. He also enlisted the help of Yuri, who basically demanded to visit in his usual backhands way that never failed to leave Yuuri confused and somehow guilty, and Chris as well, who practically swooned when he had heard of Yuuri’s plans and jumped at the chance of being present at the big moment. 

Yuuri hummed as he ended the call with Hasetsu Castle’s manager, cementing the plans. Everything was set. Now he just needed to choose a cake to make. And hide it well enough from Viktor’s snooping nose. 

 

Viktor knew something was up. Yuuri had been jittery the past few days, and although he claimed that they were due to excitement over Phichit’s upcoming visit, Viktor knew better. Something was up and he was burning to find out what Yuuri was hiding. He tried his best to worm the truth out of his love, but Yuuri was crafty and every time Viktor got close Yuuri just had something up his sleeve to distract him with. Sweet kisses, teasing whispers, delicious sweets kept throwing him off balance and making him forget what he was about to say. And then Phichit was there, and Viktor had no time to dwell on it anymore. He was like how Viktor remembered; a whirlwind of pictures and words. He seemed to be even more over the top this time though, and seemed to be throwing knowing looks towards Yuuri every other minute. Phichit also seemed to want to monopolise Viktor more, claiming that after knowing Yuuri so well, he had to learn more about the man who captured his best friend’s heart. Privately, Viktor hoped it would not result in another shovel talk. He already had experiences of that with Yuuri’s older sister, Mari, and his mentor, a tall beautiful lady called Minako.

_ “So,” Mari drawled, taking a draw of her cigarette. Yuuri had just announced to his parents that they were dating, and that Viktor would be moving in with him. Viktor squirmed slightly. If anyone asked, he would refute the statement, but his sister was intimidating. “You’re the little actor who stole my baby brother’s heart eh? Well, let me straight up tell you now. Hurt him, and you will suffer.” _

Minako, who had heard the news from a gushing Hiroko, had all but ran to Yuuri’s apartment to confirm the news. After yelling at Yuuri for a full five minutes about how he dared to leave her out of the loop, how she had to learn these things from his mother when he was her protege and so on, she then turned to Viktor, sizing him up and down. She had then smiled a bright smile, and Viktor had assumed that she had approved of him. The assumption was shot down fast. 

_ “If you ever so much as harm this sweetheart, know that I will come after you with my knives, and nobody will be able to convict me for anything,” she stated, her smile turning cutting to match the iciness in his tone. She patted his cheek a moment later and then sauntered off to giggle about something or another with Hiroko, leaving a flabbergasted and mildly terrified Viktor to stare after her.   _

Yuri had also flown down, claiming that he needed a break from work. Viktor merely raised an eyebrow and did not comment on the over-large black leather jacket Yuri was wearing. Or his tall shadow. He had missed Yuri in the past three months since his last visit, although he could go without his cousin’s constant complaints. Still, he had to admit that Yuri seemed somewhat more pleasant to be around these days and Viktor guessed it was all thanks to Otabek’s influence, which Yuri always denied despite wearing a fierce blush whenever Otabek’s name came up. 

For some reason Chris had popped in as well, wearing the same Cheshire grin he had the first time Viktor met him and claiming that there was a competition in China, and he just dropped by to visit Yuuri and thank him for the fantastic job of a cake that was the last factor in convincing  Stéphane to marry him. He was also brandishing a red and gold invitation to his wedding, enveloping both of them in a bear hug. He even dragged his poor, long-suffering fiancé into their tangle of limbs much to Stéphane’s embarrassment.

All in all, it would have been a nice experience if Viktor hadn’t had his hands full, looking after an overexcited Thai, a moody Russian kitten and an overly flirtatious Swiss while Yuuri disappeared to do who knew what. 

After the sixth time in two days that Yuuri somehow slipped away while Viktor was otherwise occupied by one of their guests, Viktor knew that something was definitely up. He just needed to find one minute to himself to figure out what.

Sadly, that did not seem to be possible. 

At all.

Yuuri hummed, looking up at the clock. He had a little over two hours to put the finishing touches on the cake, so he was safe for time. He had chosen a soft red velvet sponge for the cake’s base but built a small container into it to make the surprise easier to find. The tricky part hadn’t even been the assembling part, but sneaking away to add the new layer of filling every three hours until he could safely place the top red velvet layer on top and cover the cake in frosting and then fondant before he put the almost finished creation away to cool for the night.

He still had a lot to do before he deemed the cake ready for delivery, but thankfully, Viktor was out at the moment, so he could work in peace. The three musketeers had planned a full day to occupy Viktor, and would end their tour at Hasetsu Castle just in time for the surprise. Yuuri sighed as he carefully steamed the thin layer of fondant to replicate the glassy texture he needed, hoping Viktor would like the ring he had bought. 

It was a fairly simple, elegant  [ white gold band ](https://static.rldcdn.com/image-generator/PLD-WED-UN-DB1222/LD/2/14WG-A-D/450/mens-14k-white-gold-ring-with-amethyst-and-diamond.jpg) with tiny pieces of amethyst and diamonds lining it. It felt like the perfect representation of Viktor the moment he had laid his eyes on it, but to find it, Yuuri had had to visit several jewelry shops. He was very picky, and almost gave up finding a ring when he happened to walk by a rather secluded little shop two towns over. Figuring it would not hurt, he had ducked inside, and found there it was, the perfect ring waiting just for him. Additionally, he also had the words ‘stay close to me’ engraved on the inside. 

As he filled the small piping bag with melted chocolate his thoughts drifted to the past few months after Viktor had officially moved into his apartment. Sometimes it was still hard to believe that Viktor willingly chose to give up acting, even if only temporarily, and uprooted his life to conform to the mediocrity of Hasetsu. Understandably, it had been hectic in the beginning, with Viktor having to wear disguises to ward off the reporters and the fans’ ever seeing eyes. They were lucky Hasetsu had such an accepting population, too satisfied with their lives to really care about what others did. The almost complete lack of interest surrounding the town made it easier for them to settle into their new life and get used to being…  _ together _ .

Once the hype from the media had dwindled, they started to enjoy their time together. They fell into a routine. Most mornings Yuuri woke up before Viktor as he had to go to work. He would always prepare breakfast before leaving, saying goodbye with a soft kiss to Viktor’s hair, smiling at the way Viktor leaned into the touch but never waking. Come lunchtime, Viktor would head downstairs with lunch he had prepared. He would sometimes help out in the kitchen, though his attempts at baking were still abysmal and were only good for making Yuuri laugh. The sentiment and Viktor’s closeness were nice nevertheless. After closing time, they would normally retreat back to the comfort of their home, though sometimes they did go on dates spontaneously. On one of their most memorable ones they had gone out to watch a movie in the small theater a few streets down from  _ Agape & Eros. _ The movie was good but nothing spectacular, however, on their way back, it had started raining. Of course, being the dorky actor he was, Viktor immediately started to re-enact the famous scene from  _ Singin’ in the Rain _ , and had dragged a laughing Yuuri into dancing on the streets with him.

_ “I’m singing in the rain,” Viktor sang, dancing in the pouring, icy rain like a complete dork.  _

_ “Viktor, what are you doing?” Yuuri hissed, tugging on his hand in an attempt to drag him back home quickly. Viktor ignored the attempts, continuing to sing instead.  _

_ “Come on, Yuuri, join me! It’s fun!” Viktor then proceeded to tug on Yuuri’s hand strong enough to pull him into his arms before leading him into a waltz. Yuuri gave up and just laughed at his boyfriend’s antics. He never ceased to surprise Yuuri. _

They had been both soaked to the bone when they arrived home, and Viktor may have gotten a nasty cold that almost ‘killed him’ if his overdramatic whines could be believed, but it was nevertheless, still a memorable date. 

Living together came with its own challenges. Yuuri found out, much to the contrary of his assumptions, that Viktor was really not a morning person. He also seemed to keep weird hours, which was probably due to the demanding lifestyle he used to lead as an actor. Often, Yuuri would wake up in the middle of the night to a cold bed, with Viktor walking about the apartment or sitting on the couch with their dogs, unable to fall asleep. He was also meticulous about keeping things in order, always puttering around their home, fluffing up pillows and arranging little trinkets as if he couldn’t help himself. 

All these little idiosyncrasies only made Yuuri fall more in love with the man and after a last check on the cake, he felt like he was ready to prove it to Viktor and their family and friends as well.

It had been an exhausting day for Viktor. Yuri had dragged him to a cat cafe in the morning, claiming he had to at least  _ try _ and convert Viktor to a cat person, because they were so much better than dogs. They had spent four hours there. Four hours! Viktor was so bored, and if it wasn’t for Yuri’s rare adorable smiling face, Viktor would have up and left a long time ago. After that, Phichit had popped up out of nowhere and wanted Viktor to show him about the place, despite having been to Hasetsu countless times before and probably knowing the town better than Viktor did. 

_ “Phichit, I know you have been to Hasetsu many times before. Yuuri told me all about your visits. What could I possibly show you that you wouldn’t have seen before?” Viktor asked, slightly despairingly.  _

_ “Awww, come on,” Phichit whined. “Places always change! Just show me your favorite place that’s not Yuuri’s bakery, please?” _

_ Viktor sighed, but agreed regardless. _

Then somehow, while Viktor was showing Phichit around, though honestly, it was more like Phichit was showing Viktor around, they had met Chris and Stéphane, who then proceeded to pull both of them into shopping. Viktor enjoyed shopping, and often spent long hours just walking about. However, with Chris, shopping seemed more like a test of endurance. He seemed to be going out of his way to spend more time than necessary at each shop, with the excuse that he rarely came down, and wanted to make sure he missed nothing out. 

It was already getting dark by the time they headed towards the hill where the useless castle stood. Viktor was dead on his feet, but no one paid him any mind when he tried to protest about going to the castle. He just wanted to go home and curl up with Yuuri and forget the day happened. But no, the gang dragged him along with Phichit and Chris leading him by his arms.

The castle was beautiful of course, and Viktor had to admit he hadn’t seen it all lit up before––it somehow had never come up to visit it on one of his dates with Yuuri––, but he wanted to be with Yuu––

Oh.

Yuuri was there, standing in front of the entrance of the castle with his family and closest friends around him.    
  


“Viktor,” Yuuri started, stepping forward to take Viktor’s hands. He had to stop to take a deep breath, not letting go Viktor’s gaze as he slowly lead him up to the small table they had set up for the occasion. “My life changed today one year ago. A gorgeous foreigner with his dog stumbled into my little shop and took me off my feet.” He saw the moment realization dawned on Viktor, his crystalline eyes shining bright as he looked down at Yuuri with a wide smile full of wonder. “I made this cake to show you my love and how much meeting you means to me. We have only known each other for a year, yet, as cliche as this sounds, I feel as though we have known each other far longer than that. We have done so many things over these past twelve months; you’ve met my parents, we’ve fought and made up, we started living together, and I couldn’t be happier. Every day, you show me something new, and I fall deeper in love with you. I can’t imagine another day without you by my side. So, this is really my anniversary gift to you.”

“Oh, Yuuri,” Viktor whispered, apparently lost for words. “You prepared all this for me. For us… You never cease to amaze me.”

Yuuri smiled, allowing himself to be pulled into a deep, passionate kiss worthy of the best romantic movies. He was dimly aware that Phichit was filming the whole thing, but Yuuri did not really mind. He did promise his best friend that anyway. Heart hammering a mile a minute, Yuuri fell into the deep, swirling abyss of ardor Viktor’s closeness brought upon him. He didn’t care if their kiss would appear on millions of blogs and Youtube channels, he would enjoy it till the end.

Slowly drawing back with a few lingering pecks, Viktor cradled his face in his hands. “I wish I had your present with me, but I guess you have yourself to thank for that. If it wasn’t for your devious plan––”

“I swear to the gods, Viktor, if you don’t shut up and cut that fucking cake finally, mmpf––!!!” Yuri’s tirade was cut off by a gentle hand over his mouth and Yuuri sent Otabek a grateful look for the quick save. Still, Viktor’s interest was piqued enough to let go of Yuuri’s face and turn to the cake shaped as  _ Agape & Eros _ .

“Your talent is incredible, Yuuri,” Viktor said, his voice awed. “It’s almost a crime to cut into this masterpiece, but we wouldn’t want all these wonderful people to starve, would we?” He sent a mischievous wink to the people around them, earning amused laughs and a sulking grunt from Yuri.   

Yuuri felt his heart start to race again as Viktor took the knife Yuuri’s mother offered to him and slowly started to cut into the cake. He caught the moment confusion colored Viktor’s face when the knife met resistance and he had to pull it back and cut a smaller piece instead. Blue eyes looked at him for help, and he managed to muster up a smile, picking up a plate and the serving knife placed next to the cake, aiding Viktor in plating the first slice and revealing a sliver of black in the middle of it all.

“Yuuri?” 

“You’ll have to see for yourself what’s in there.”

Viktor’s eyes narrowed as he mulled over the challenge for a second before he nodded decisively. “All right, so who wants some cake?”

It was nothing short of torture to watch as slices of the cake were removed and more and more of the black plastic box was revealed, Viktor nearly vibrating out of his skin next to him. By the time everyone had a large slice in their hands, Yuuri was ready to pass out from his nervousness. Something that only heightened when Viktor finally pulled the box free and then opened it with realization slowly seeping into his gaze.

Swallowing around the knot in his throat, Yuuri lowered himself to one knee just as Viktor finally pulled the ring box free. He knew that everyone was watching them with bated breath, waiting to see how the proposal would pan out, but Yuuri felt like he was alone in the entire world with no one but Viktor with him. Viktor who was staring down at him with his mouth slightly agape.

“Viktor, I know it’s been only a year, but I also know that I don’t want to spend another second without you.” Yuuri needed to pause to gather his courage, the words harder to find than expected. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

He anxiously awaited Viktor’s answer. True, he knew that Viktor loved him with all his heart, but was Viktor willing to commit? What if he was not ready? What if Viktor said no? Yuuri had tried hard to squash those doubts over the past few months, but in the agonising minutes that accompanied his proposal, the doubts started to resurface as Viktor did not answer, especially when tears started to drip down his face. 

Oh no.  _ Oh no.  _ He had made Viktor cry. Yuuri started to panic. What had he done? Had he pushed Viktor too fast?

Then Viktor’s face slowly morphed into a large, happy smile, and he threw himself at Yuuri, causing them to fall to the ground with Viktor practically squishing him. But none of that mattered because the next moment Viktor opened his mouth and croaked out,

“Yes!”

 

______________________________

 

###  Yuuri’s Engagement Cake

**The Red Velvet Base**

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients

  * 2⅔ cups plain cake flour (Note 1)
  * 2 tbsp (10g) cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  * 1 tsp (5g) baking soda / bi-carb soda (NOT baking powder) (Note 2)
  * Pinch of salt



Wet Ingredients

  * ½ cup / 1 stick / 113g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  * 1½ cups / 300g caster / superfine white sugar (Note 3)
  * 2 eggs, at room temperature
  * 1 cup vegetable oil (250ml)
  * 1 tsp white vinegar
  * 2 tsp vanilla extract (or essence)
  * 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature (Note 4) (250ml)
  * 2½ tbsp red food colouring liquid (not gel)



INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Butter 2 x 21cm / 8" round cake pans (sides and base) and dust with cocoa powder.
  2. Sift the Dry Ingredients and whisk to combine in a bowl.
  3. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric beater or in stand mixer until smooth and well combined (use paddle attachment if using stand mixer).
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating in between to combine.
  5. Add vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk and red food colouring. Beat until combined (Note 5).
  6. Add Dry Ingredients. Beat until just combined - some small lumps is ok, that's better than over mixing.
  7. Divide batter between cake pans. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes on the same shelf, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (Note 6)
  8. Rest for 10 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool.



 

Source: http://www.recipetineats.com/red-velvet-cake/

 

##  Ingredients for the Ptichye Moloko cream layer:

 

  * ****2 packets**[ **unflavored gelatin**](http://amzn.to/1qI47lB)**


  * **1 cup milk**


  * **1 cup sugar**


  * **16 oz tub of sour cream**


  * **16 oz tub of cool whip, refrigerated (not frozen)**



 

##  How to make the cream base:

  1. In a small sauce pan, combine 2 packets [unflavored gelatin](http://amzn.to/1qI47lB) with 1 cup milk. Whisk together over medium heat. Continue whisking until it just begins to steam, remove from heat (DO NOT BOIL). Set aside to cool.
  2. In the bowl of an [**electric mixer**](http://amzn.to/1NHCZsn) on medium speed whisk together 1 cup sugar, 16 oz tub of sour cream and a 16 oz tub of cool whip until well blended.
  3. With the mixer on, slowly add the warm milk mixture.


    * ##  Ingredients for the Ptichye Moloko Chocolate topping:




 

  * ****5 Tbsp Cocoa powder, unsweetened****


  * **5 Tbsp sugar**


  * **1 packet**[ **unflavored gelatin**](http://amzn.to/1qI47lB)


  * **5 Tbsp milk**


  * **1 cup cold water**



 

##  How to make chocolate topping:

  1. In a small sauce pan, combine 5 Tbsp coco powder, 5 Tbsp sugar, 1 packet unflavored gelatin. Next, whisk in 1 cup cold water and 5 Tbsp milk.
  2. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil while mixing continuously. If you don’t continue whisking, the chocolate may lump and you have to start over (don’t walk away from the mix). The mix should be smooth and well blended. Set the chocolate mix aside and let it cool for 1 hour.



 

Source: http://natashaskitchen.com/2011/11/08/veras-ptichye-moloko-recipe-birds-milk/

 

**NOTES: Because it’s going to be a 4 layer cake that requires a lot of cooling and the gelatine firms up quickly, it’s easier if you divide the cream into three parts and make them separately.**

Additional ingredients:

  * Fondant or sculpting chocolate
  * Frosting (it doesn’t matter what kind. Cream cheese or buttercream frosting should work just fine. You can also leave off the fondant and decorate solely with the frosting)



 

**Assembling the cake**

  1. Cut the red velvet cake base into four parts and set 3 aside.
  2. Put the base layer back into the baking tin, then carefully pour the room temperature cream onto it until it forms a thin layer.
  3. Put the tin into the fridge for at least 3 hours until the cream firms up.
  4. Add the tempered  chocolate cream and smooth it over the cream before once again putting it in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
  5. Add the next red velvet layer.
  6. Repeat moves 1-5 until the last red velvet layer is on top of the cake. 
  7. Cover the top of the cake tin with plastic wrap and put it back in the fridge for overnight.
  8. Cover the cake with the frosting (and optional: the fondant, then decorate as you wish)



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time the cake is something I (queenie) made up in my head. If someone tries to make it (I will for my birthday so my family can enjoy it even if I can't) feel free to tell us how it went. I have done a similar cake before so the cooling process should be fine. Using a high wall cake tin is advisable though because this should be a high cake.


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victuuri Week: Day 8  
> Prompt: Valentine's Day
> 
> Yuuri and Viktor both prepare their own surprise for Valentine's Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for following us on this journey. It's been an amazing experience and I can't believe it's over. Well, not exactly. There might be some vignettes and one-shots up in our sleeves. Personally, I want to write a short story about Chris and Stéphane and Victuri wedding preparations and jitters... but Victuuri Week is over and thus Ptichye Moloko is finished as well.
> 
> Nevertheless, thank you guys. You are the best!
> 
> (Any future installment and snippet will be tagged Ptichye Moloko on Tumblr, so look out for it.)

If someone had told him five years ago that he would be happily married at twenty-five with two dogs and a successful business, he would have sent them to get their head checked.

 

And yet, five years later, here he was.   
  


Yuuri sighed, twisting  [ the ring ](https://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/6367831/P13984917.jpg) on his ring finger and smiling down at it. To that day, he could not believe he was lucky enough to be married to Viktor. It still felt like a dream even after nearly half a year, and the ring was a way to prove himself that  _ yes _ , this was all true, and  _ yes _ , he was indeed married to the man of his dream, and  _ yes _ , he was very lucky.

He was alone at home for the moment with Makkachin and Vicchan, the apartment feeling empty without Viktor’s brightness to liven it up. Their pups were feeling the absence of their second daddy as well, moping around all day and staying as close to Yuuri as possible. It had been this way for the past eight days, since Viktor departure to Los Angeles. Fortunately, it was only for one more night, as Viktor only had gone back to tie up a few loose ends and was due back tomorrow, but it didn’t mean Yuuri didn’t miss him something fierce. Still, he found it impossibly sweet that despite the tight schedule Viktor somehow managed to make it possible to be back on Valentine’s day. 

This would be their first Valentine’s day as a married couple, and Yuuri couldn’t wait to see his husband again. To soak in his scent, to get lost in the warmth of his mouth, to melt under his body’s strength. The last eight days were nothing compared to the time they had been forced to stay apart while Viktor had been finishing filming that skating movie, but it felt like an eternity since they had been last forced to be apart and Skype could only do so much after all. He missed how Viktor’s eyes would light up every time Yuuri brought out a slice of cake for him to indulge in, he missed the goofy heart-shaped smile that appeared whenever he would eat said slice of cake, he missed the smell of Viktor fresh out of a shower, his warmth whenever they cuddled up together… 

Shaking his head rapidly to stop that train of thought, he focused on his plans to celebrate the day instead. He had many ideas on how to make it special, ranging from going around the town and revisiting their favorite places to having a quiet dinner at their favourite restaurant to simply strolling at the beach, admiring the view. He had poured over various magazines that he bought with a blushing face, asked Phichit and Chris for advice, which were mainly Phichit squealing over how cute they were, could he join in to take pictures, and Chris… well, Yuuri felt as though he needed to at least wash his ears with bleach or bang his head against some hard surface to clear his memory after that conversation. Against his better judgement, he had even asked Yuri, only to be yelled at and hung up on. 

In the end, he settled for having a nice quiet dinner at home, knowing that Viktor would be tired from the long journey back, and would rather spend quality time together than going out and running the risk of bumping into fans. True, the people in Hasetsu were more respectful of their privacy, but someone always got a little over eager and it was all downhill from there. Pictures, videos, requests for autographs popped up left and right and before they knew it they were surrounded by fans and their date night was over. So a romantic night in should be the perfect chance to spend some quality time together uninterrupted.

Currently, he was in their kitchen, mixing together ingredients for the valentine’s day cake he had planned. He had decided to bake the typical Japanese Valentine Cake to adhere the traditions: a strawberry tofu cheesecake in the shape of a heart. True, it was kind of cliche, but there was something quite romantic about conforming to the old customs that Yuuri could not bear not to do his part. Anyway, Viktor had never had the chance to try it before, so it would still be a new taste for him. 

A new flavor Yuuri hoped he would fell in love with. 

 

Viktor returned a day earlier than he told Yuuri he would, but instead of going back to their place, he headed over to Yu-Topia instead to use the kitchen there. He had arranged for this before his trip as a surprise for Yuuri. He knew that Yuuri was expecting him to arrive on Valentine’s Day, probably preparing to wait for him at the airport. What he didn’t know, however, was that Viktor had secretly arranged to fly back the day before, thus granting him sufficient time to execute his plan. 

Hiroko had been more than obliging, her eyes dancing with delight when he had told her of his plans before his trip. To celebrate the happy occasion, Viktor had spent every waking moment he could in his old apartment that Yuri currently occupied in L.A., practicing and practicing until he the cake he had chosen for Yuuri turned out perfectly. Viktor smiled, eyes misting over as he recalled the past and the countless happy memories tied to the cake that started it all. The first recipe Yuuri had shared with him, and the only one he felt fitting for celebrating their love. It was almost… no it  _ was _ their very own special cake. 

Humming to himself, he carefully followed the instructions Yuuri had typed out for him, swearing to himself that the ‘mochi disaster’ would not be repeated. As he slid the cake pan into the oven, Viktor breathed a sigh of relief. The cake mixture had tasted great, and the remaining steps were easy enough, as it did not involve any more mixing and stirring and whatnot. True, he did not know how to glaze and decorate it, so it  was not as pretty as the ones Yuuri made, but it was the best that Viktor had ever made, and he knew Yuuri would appreciate the effort. And at least the cake would not result in any food poisoning, which was definitely an improvement compared to his past attempts at baking. Carefully packing it into a cake box before putting it back in the fridge, he looked at the clock. It was in the wee hours, so Viktor chose to tiptoe to Yuuri’s old room and sleep there, setting five different alarms to ensure he would wake up and be in time to return home. He did not want to return too late only to find that Yuuri had already left, thus ruining the surprise.

 

The doorbell rang, making Yuuri curse. He had just put the completed cake into the fridge to cool and settle, and was about to change out of his ratty baking clothes. He head two hours to get to the airport to pick Viktor up, most of which would be spent in the car, driving. Thankfully, he had decorated the apartment the night before, which had saved him some time. However, the unexpected visit would delay him from seeing his husband faster, which set him into a foul mood. 

He had gone nine days without seeing Viktor, and every minute that prevented him from finally seeing his husband was a minute wasted. Thus, nobody could blame him when he irritatedly threw the door open. However, the sight stopped him short, and the tirade that was about to leave his lips died, instead giving way to an open jaw. Viktor beamed, pleased that he had successfully surprised Yuuri, and presented him with the cake box and exclaiming, “Surprise! Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Yuuri stared wordlessly at Viktor, then at the box of cake in Viktor’s hands, stunned. The image finally registered in his mind, and he soon dissolved into giggles. The giggles then escalated to a full blown laughter, and Yuuri soon had tears streaming down his face. It was now Viktor’s turn to be shocked, and his expression turned downcast. This was not how he imagined the situation to go. 

“Was it not a good surprise?” Viktor asked, hurt evident in his tone.

“No! It’s not that! I love the surprise! It’s just…” Wiping away the tears that had formed in the corner of his eyes, Yuuri pulled Viktor into a tender kiss, mindful of the cake, before gently tugging on Viktor’s hand and motioning for Viktor to follow him. Yuuri slowly lead Viktor into the living room, and Viktor was floored. Yuuri had decorated the place, and adorning their coffee table were roses and candles. 

“Wait here,” Yuuri said before darting to the kitchen faster than Viktor could reply. He quickly returned, but this time was bearing an enormous heart-shaped strawberry cheesecake. “Surprise!” Yuuri exclaimed, blushing.

Viktor could see why he had just started laughing. He wanted to laugh himself. Both of them had similar ideas, resulting in them now having two cakes to eat. Viktor was ridiculously happy however. This just proved that they were so in sync! He just barely managed to stop himself from dropping his handmade cake onto the floor and jumping into Yuuri’s arms, which would have caused said man to drop his cake, something he absolutely did not want. Instead, he settled for smiling widely.

 

“I can’t believe you managed to bake this!” Yuuri marveled, as he bit into another slice of the Ptichye Moloko cake Viktor had baked. It was his third already and he just couldn’t get enough. It might have been the bias speaking but to him, it tasted even better than what he normally baked! “And you didn’t burn down your kitchen or anything?”

Viktor pouted, before laughing. “Thankfully, no. Yurio would have killed me had I done that. The first few turned out bad because I didn’t measure the correct amounts of ingredients and I couldn’t whisk the mixture properly. But practice makes perfect!” Scooping a portion of the cake onto his fork, he brought it up to Yuuri’s mouth, intention clear. With a blushing face, Yuuri hesitantly wrapped his lips around the fork, moaning at the taste. Viktor could not help it. He leaned in, pressing kisses onto Yuuri’s lips.

 

If anyone had told Viktor five years ago that he would have found love and life in a little town, that he would have fallen heads over heels and be happily married, Viktor would have simply smiled and waved their comments off, writing them off as crazy. Yet here he was, five years later, happily feeding his love. And he could not ask for anything more.

 

___________________________

###  **Recipe: Strawberry Tofu Cheesecake**

**Ingredients**

(makes one 18cm round cake)

 

_ crust: _

  * 100g digestive biscuits, finely crushed
  * 50g unsalted butter, melted



 

_ filling: _

 

  * 6tbsp warm water
  * 2tbsp gelatin powder
  * 250g cream cheese, soften at room temperature
  * 150g silken tofu
  * 45g unsalted butter, soften at room temperature
  * 5tbsp caster sugar
  * 4tbsp lemon juice



 

 

_ jelly: _

 

  * 1 box Jelly crystal (strawberry flavour)
  * 1 cup boiling water
  * 1 cup cold water



 

 

Strawberries, sliced

 

**Method:**

_ Crust: _

Combine crushed digestive biscuits and melted butter together in a mixing bowl. With the back of a spoon, press the biscuit crumbs firmly onto the base of the baking pan. Chill in the freezer while you prepare the filing. 

 

_ Filling:  _

  1. Measure the warm water into a small bowl and sprinkle in the gelatin powder (without stirring). Set aside to allow the gelatin grains to bloom.


  1. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, silken tofu and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add in sugar and beat till well-mixed. Add in lemon juice, beat till well-mixed.


  1. Stir the gelatin solution, which should appear soggy. Pour the solution through a sieve into the cream cheese batter. Beat the batter again until well-mixed.  The finished batter should be thin and runny.


  1. Pour the batter onto the chilled crust based. Tap the pan lightly to remove any trapped air bubble.  Refrigerate for at least 4hours or overnight.



 

_ Jelly: _

  1. Dissolve the jelly crystal in the cup of boiling water, followed by the cold water. Pour the jelly on the chilled tofu cheesecake layer.


  1. Arrange the sliced strawberries on the cake. Let it set in the refrigerate for an hour.


  1. To unmold, carefully slide the removable pan downwards to release the cake.



Recipe:   [ http://www.lirongs.com/2014/03/recipe-strawberry-tofu-cheesecake.html ](http://www.lirongs.com/2014/03/recipe-strawberry-tofu-cheesecake.html)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> You can find both of us on Tumblr:  
> yuurinomahouteki.tumblr.com  
> mangaxotomelover.tumblr.com


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